www.chinaview.cn 2009-04-23 15:59:10

LHASA , April 23 (Xinhua) -- Restoration work at three major cultural relic sites in Tibet will be completed this year, said a local official Wednesday.

With an investment of 300 million yuan (about 44 million U.S. dollars), the government has carried out restoration work at Potala Palace, Norbulinka, the world's highest garden architectural structure and the former summer palace of the Dalai Lama, and the Sayga Monastery, the chief monastery of the Sayga Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

The renovation began in 2002. Of 166 projects at the three sites, 150 have already been completed. The final 16 are scheduled for completion this year, said Nyima Cering, who is in charge of the repair work.

Potala Palace and Norbulinka are on the world cultural heritage list. Polata Palace was built in the 7th century. The Sayga Monastery is a protected national heritage site.

The final 16 projects will cost 104.71 million yuan (about 15.33 million U.S. dollars). They include maintenance of the original headquarters of the Tibetan army at the foot of Potala Palace, plumbing and water-proof project at the Norbulinka and the repair of the wall and quarters in the Sayga Monastery.

Construction on the six projects began in April, said Nyima Cering.

China has vowed to make heritage protection a priority since it became a member of UNESCO's cultural heritage protection convention in 1989.