China's Xixia Imperial Tombs inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

China

China's Xixia Imperial Tombs inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

2025-07-12 14:05 Last Updated At：23:47

China's Xixia Imperial Tombs were inscribed on the World Heritage List on Friday during UNESCO's 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris, France.

With this addition, the total number of World Heritage sites in China has reached 60.

Xixia Imperial Tombs is a group of imperial burial sites from the Xixia Dynasty (Western Xia, 1038-1227), founded by the Tangut people in northwestern China. It is currently located in Yinchuan City of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Covering an area of nearly 40 square km, the site comprises four types of architectural remains: 9 imperial mausoleums, 271 subordinate tombs, a northern architectural complex covering 0.05 square km, and 32 flood control works.

The Xixia Imperial Tombs are the largest, highest-ranked, and most intact archaeological site from the Xixia period that has survived to the present day.

Tao Shaohua, mayor of Yinchuan, welcomed UNESCO's decision, calling it an important moment for Chinese culture on the world stage.

"The inscription of the Xixia Imperial Tombs as a World Heritage Site has long been our cherished aspiration. It embodies over a decade of relentless efforts by generations of dedicated individuals. With this successful inscription, all 2.91 million residents of Yinchuan are filled with joy and pride. Yinchuan is currently building itself into a demonstration city for strengthening the sense of community of the Chinese nation. This success will further deepen the identification with and appeal of Chinese culture among all ethnic groups, and promote extensive interaction, communication, and integration among them," said the mayor.

According to the World Heritage Committee, the site is a testament to the cultural fusion and interactions of diverse traditions. It also bears witness to the unique role of the Xixia Dynasty in cultural and commercial exchanges along the Silk Roads during the 11th to 13th centuries.

The Committee commended the efforts and achievements made by the Chinese government in the protection and management of the cultural heritage of the Xixia Imperial Tombs.

EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland

Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."

Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.

"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.

"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.