BEIJING, Dec. 24 -- The Beijing municipal government published on Wednesday a list of 71 buildings constructed from 1840 to 1976 as relics for protection. These buildings should not be demolished on principle and any construction projects should not threaten their existence, according to the document jointly released by the municipal urban planning and cultural heritage bureaus.

    It is good news. But the wording seems to suggest that the list, along with the document, would hardly stop real estate developers from grabbing favorable locations where these buildings of historical interest are situated.

    Real estate development swept its way across the country in the past two decades. The interest of real estate developers and local economic growth rate became a priority in urban planning.

    It was not rare for buildings of historical interest to be demolished to make way for real estate development projects. We can still remember the row between the Beijing municipal cultural heritage department and a real estate company early this year over the protection of a listed zone in the city center.

    Nevertheless, to have a list is better than nothing. We are told that the municipal cultural heritage department will publish a second or third list of buildings for protection.

    To our relief, efforts by cultural celebrities and cultural heritage departments have raised the awareness of the general public about buildings of historical interest. And there is consensus among people from different walks of life that old buildings from different historical periods should be protected to keep the cultural and historical continuity of a place.

    The fact that a developer had to stop demolishing the old houses in an area of Beijing because of opposition from residents and the municipal cultural heritage department is a sign that we are starting to realize how important the cultural messages epitomized by those old buildings means to both the city proper and its residents.

    (Source: China Daily)