China is striving to attain UNESCO listing for two sites of great historical significance, the Grand Canal and the Silk Road, both are ancient pathways and key means of transportation and cultural exchange.
China has launched a joint initiative with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to get UNESCO world heritage status for the silk road. Silk Road was once the main artery for business and trade between China and the West in ancient times.
The initiative for the Grand Canal has also grabbed international attention. The Grand Canal is the longest man-made waterway in the world, the greatest of the greatest engineering achievement of the nation, connecting 5 bodies of water in China through various types of terrain. It has played a crucial role in the development of the Chinese civilization.