A SECTION OF THE GREAT WALL in the rural area of Suizhong county, Northeast China's Liaoning province, has always been protected as a precious heritage. Yet several recent photographs show it is now covered with cement and almost destroyed. Local authorities claim they have "repaired" it. Beijing News says their response is irresponsible:

It seems the local authorities don't understand the difference between "repair" and "damage". Repairing means restoring to sound condition after damage. Ironically, those who covered that part of the Great Wall with cement in the name of "repair" have actually damaged it.

The Great Wall is not only symbolic of China, but also an important historical structure for research. Some news reports say the damaged section was built in 1381, which in itself is a historical record. Every brick in the Great Wall is history, and the "repair" has destroyed them by covering them with cement.