Chinese and Italian archaeologists have signed an agreement to jointly preserve a cluster of ruins dating back more than 2,000 years in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu.

The agreement, signed by the Sichuan provincial bureau of cultural relics and the National Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy, will also focus on how to best showcase the ruins and make use of their historical value.

The ruins, known as Donghua Gate historical site, were first discovered in 2013. They consist of three parts: a residential area first inhabited by people more than 2,000 years ago, a historical pool and garden, as well as a palace for kings in the Ming Dynasty (1384-1644).

After surveying the ruins, archaeologists from the two countries spoke highly of their historical value and expressed the hope to turn them into a new cultural landmark in Chengdu.

The two sides will form an expert group to oversee the protection of the ruins, according to the agreement.