Macao SAR gov't proposes cultural heritage protection bill

MACAO, Feb. 10 (Chinese media) -- The government of Macao

Special Administrative Region (SAR) Tuesday announced the completed version of

the cultural heritage protection bill which will be put on public consultation

on April 30, 2009.

The bill expands the concept of "cultural heritage"

by extending its legal content from physical cultural heritage to intangible

ones, and from properties (buildings) to all valuable relics, according to a

press release from the SAR's Cultural Institute. The proposed law also dedicated

a full chapter elaborating on the principles and systems of the protection of

"The Historic Center of Macao".

"The Historic Center of Macao" is a living

representation of the city's historic settlement, encompassing architectural

legacies interwoven in the midst of the original urban fabric that includes

streetscapes and piazzas, such as Barra Square, Lilau Square, St. Augustine's

Square, Senado Square, Cathedral Square, St. Dominic's Square, Company of Jesus

Square and Camoes Square.

The Cultural Institute attaches great importance to

the bill, which was also seen as a close cooperation between the government and

the residents in terms of cultural heritage protection, said Heidi Ho Lai Chun

da Luz, president of the Institute.

Macao, an island city west of Hong Kong, is famous

for its European-style buildings which was built by the Portuguese during

Macao's colonial period. A number of these buildings have already been put on

the UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List.

However, the insufficient protection of these

heritage sites has attracted unwanted international attention, as China's

National Committee for UNESCO received a letter from the Director of the World

Heritage Center of UNESCO Francesco Bandarin at the end of 2007, referring to

the impact of certain buildings and some ongoing projects on the framework

landscape of the Guia Lighthouse, a local world heritage site, particularly in

its surrounding areas.

The letter was later forwarded to the China's State

Administration of Cultural Heritage. Prompted by the letter, the SAR government

has imposed a height limit on buildings in the sites surrounding areas last

year.