[Photo/Xinhua]

The decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to modify the Law of the People's Republic of China on Protection of Cultural Relics was passed at the 14th session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People’s Congress on April 24.

Amendments are:

1. Paragraph 2 of Article 34 of the provision is amended to read "Excavated archaeological relics shall be registered, preserved properly and, in accordance with the relevant regulations of the State, turned over for collection to the administrative department in charge of cultural relics under the people’s government of the relevant province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government or to the State-owned museums, libraries or other State-owned institutions for the collection of cultural relics designated by the administrative department in charge of cultural relics under the State Council. Upon approval by the administrative department in charge of cultural relics under the people's government of the relevant province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government, institutions engaged in archaeological excavation may retain a small amount of unearthed cultural relics as samples for scientific research."

2. Article 41 of the provision in reference to "and where grade-one cultural relics in their collection are to be exchanged, the matter shall be subject to approval by the administrative department in charge of cultural relics under the State Council" is deleted.

3. Paragraph 1 of Article 53 of the provision in reference to "the administrative department in charge of cultural relics under the State Council or" is deleted.

4. Paragraph 1 of Article 54 of the provision in reference to "the administrative department in charge of cultural relics under the State Council" is amended to read "the administrative department in charge of cultural relics under the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government".

This decision shall take effect from the date of promulgation.

The Law of the People's Republic of China on Protection of Cultural Relics shall be revised correspondingly in accordance with this decision and promulgated anew.