The State Council approved an application by Changzhou, in Jiangsu province, to become a City of Historic and Cultural Significance.

The city can boast of a rich history and has many cultural relics, and its historic landscape has been well preserved, the State Council said in a written reply published on June 11.

The State Council also required that Jiangsu province and Changzhou strike a balance between the city’s development and its need to preserve historic sites according to the national regulations on protecting cities, towns and villages of historic and cultural significance.

Also, Jiangsu province and Changzhou City should form a plan to preserve the city’s historic sites, clearly mark areas and architecture of historic significance, and ensure their protection.

The government of Jiangsu province will work with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development as well as the State Administration of Cultural Heritage to aid Changzhou in its efforts to protect its historic sites and cultural relics, the State Council said.