Li said that urbanization has always posed a challenge to the preservation of cultural relics, and balancing the relationship between economic development and preservation of history is of great importance.

"Cultural relics sites should become positive factors to boost economic and social development, as well as enrich local activities," he said.

The SACH head also cited good examples of protection, describing how some of national-level cultural relics sites have become patriotism education bases and others popular tourist resorts, such as the Mogao Grottoes in northwest China's Gansu Province.

There are other important sites where protection has been lacking, however.

The Mausoleum of Prince Jingjiang, located in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is on the list of key cultural relics sites that need protection. It encompasses more than 300 tombs holding the bodies of such Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) figures as the prince, his wife, generals and ministers.

In an example of negligent governance over a historic site, more than 60,000 private tombs were incorporated into the prince's mausoleum in 2011.

Also in November last year, local police in central China's Hubei Province uncovered a separate case involving stealing and reselling tomb relics. They seized a total of 198 cultural relics.

Li Enjia, vice director of the Hebei Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, said that scope for illegal black market deals drive people to seek illegitimate profits and commit crimes in the cultural relics trade.