A forum on protecting and sustainably developing heritage of the Maritime Silk Road opened Wednesday in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

The two-day forum was aimed at sharing the frontier fruits of protection and research on heritage of the Maritime Silk Road, helping delegates and residents understand the importance of heritage, and continuously stepping up exchanges and cooperation on protection of heritage in regions along the route.

Experts and scholars from the China Academy of Cultural Heritage, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Beijing Cluster Office, as well as from Indonesia and Malaysia, discussed the history of the Maritime Silk Road and ways to protect heritage along the route.

Ao Ieong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of the Macao SAR government, said at the forum that Macao will continue stepping up cooperation with other cities to facilitate the nomination of the Maritime Silk Road for the UNESCO heritage list.