China UK Photo: VCG

China and the UK have pledged to deepen their cooperation in cultural heritage preservation, restoration, and the repatriation of lost artifacts, as Li Qun, vice minister of culture and tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, lead a delegation to visit the country from Saturday to Monday, according to a Thursday announcement by the Ministry of Culture and Tourisms. 

During his stay in the U.K., Li engaged in fruitful discussions with a host of British officials and scholars, solidifying the commitment to strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.

One of the key achievements of the visit was the meeting between Li and Stephen Parkinson, a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Both sides recognized the importance of reactivating existing collaborative initiatives, notably the "Wall to Wall Collaboration," a project launched in 2017 aims to promote tourism and enhance historical and cultural understanding of UNESCO world heritage sites —— the Great Wall of China and UK's Hadrian's Wall.

Additionally, the two sides reached a consensus on bolstering efforts to protect the Chinese Beiyang Fleet Sailors' Memorial. The tombs hold historical significance making the origin of the Beiyang, or Northern Fleet, the most powerful naval force assembled by China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), which was bolstered by four battle cruisers China bought from Britain.

Li held separate meetings with Julian Radcliffe, founder and chairman of the Art Loss Register and other British representatives. The discussions resulted in substantial agreement regarding the retrieving lost cultural relics between the two countries and the promotion of academic collaboration.

The British side echoed Li's call for more coordination, expressing its willingness to revitalize the "Wall to Wall Collaboration" and actively assist China in retrieving lost artifacts, jointly safeguarding humanity's shared cultural heritage.

As part of the delegation's visit, Li and the team visited the Northern Fleet Sailors' Cemetery, which had been restored by the Chinese side. A poignant tribute to history, they laid underwater archaeological photos and reports of the sunken ship "Zhiyuan cruiser" at the gravesite.