Six countries in joint bid to get on cultural heritage list

XI'AN: China and five Central Asia countries are expected today to submit their first national lists of Silk Road treasures in a joint application for World Cultural Heritage status.

China has nominated 48 sites, Kazakhstan 10, Kyrgyzstan seven, Tajikistan eight, Turkmenistan 57 and Uzbekistan 33, representatives from each country said. The sites include tombs, remains of ancient cities and grottoes.

Stretching more than 8,000 km through desolate mountains and deserts, the 2,000-year-old Silk Road was used by camel caravans to transport goods from Xi'an, Shaanxi province, to Europe through Central Asia. Marco Polo, Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great once followed its path.