The Dialogue on China-ASEAN Cultural Heritage, held on June 20 in Tianshui, Gansu province, highlighted a shared commitment to sustainable preservation along the Silk Road.

Former UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova praised the longstanding cultural partnerships between China and ASEAN, citing the Angkor Wat restoration as a flagship example of Chinese expertise.

Gansu, renowned for its rich heritage, leads China in conservation technologies. The province hosts the nation's only engineering research center for ancient murals and earthen sites, along with an advanced full-climate simulation lab supporting multi-field coupling experiments.

Guo Qinglin, Dunhuang Academy's deputy Party secretary, introduced several international collaborations, including digital mural protection at Myanmar's Thatbyinnyu Temple and the joint Cambodian documentary Dialogue Between Mogao and Angkor. The academy also staged a Digital Dunhuang exhibition in Singapore and plans further research on grotto temples and earthen ruins with ASEAN nations.

"Our restoration technologies — from salt removal to structural reinforcement — are widely applied in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and across 20 provinces in China," Guo noted. Since 2019, the academy has engaged with 17 institutions across 10 countries.

Gansu, with seven World Heritage Sites and over half a million immovable cultural relics, continues to serve as a key driver of global heritage dialogue — bridging ancient traditions with modern conservation and linking Chinese wisdom with international collaboration.