Traditions facing increased threat

Experts have called for intensified government efforts to protect the cultures and languages of ethnic groups as their traditions are increasingly threatened, according to a report released on Tuesday.

The 2015 Annual Report on the Development of Ethnic Affairs in China, released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, found that the intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minorities faces mounting threats due to the loss of skills. Additionally, ethnic minority handicrafts ethnic products are being edged out by manufactured goods, the report found.

"Some ethnic minority art forms, including architecture, traditional handmade clothing and traditional food, have already disappeared. Some were faced with problems of passing on skills and dwindling markets," said Se Yin, a researcher at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.