Relics in cities must be saved, historians say

Alliance calls for greater cultural awareness

SUZHOU - With nearly half of UNESCO world heritage sites located in cities, experts attending a forum over the weekend called for better conservation of cultural relics in Chinese cities.

Historic buildings should be a "sacred and inviolable" part of the urban landscape, Ruan Yisan, an expert on ancient buildings at the school of architecture and urban planning in Shanghai's Tongji University.