A white paper released last week by the State Council Information Office said the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's cultural heritage is being protected and carried forward.

Xinjiang is a region rich in cultural heritage, and according to the white paper, the central government and the local government of Xinjiang have both made continuous efforts to strengthen the legal system for the protection of that heritage.

Protection of cultural heritage yields results, said the white paper, titled Cultural Protection and Development in Xinjiang, adding that the autonomous region has formed a cultural heritage protection network comprising 189 institutions at all levels.

By the end of 2017, Xinjiang had 9,542 cultural heritage sites, of which six were world heritage sites, it said.

The white paper said archeological findings are attracting wide attention and protection of ancient books has been strengthened.

It said the Chinese government has supported the translation, editing and publishing into Chinese and Uygur languages of Kutadgu Bilig (Wisdom of Fortune and Joy) and A Comprehensive Turki Dictionary, two works of the Karahan Kingdom period in the 11th century.

Intangible cultural heritage is effectively protected, the white paper added, noting that a program for protecting and preserving Xinjiang's intangible cultural heritage as part of the initiative to promote Chinese cultural traditions is well underway.

By the end of 2017, to rescue and preserve its intangible cultural heritage, Xinjiang had completed the recording of intangible cultural items presented by 23 state-level representative trustees in the form of written texts, images, audios and videos, it said.

Folk cultures are respected and preserved, according to the white paper. Xinjiang embraces cultural diversity and inclusiveness, and upholds mutual learning among cultures.

The region fully respects and protects folk cultures, thus realizing the harmonious co-existence of different cultures and enabling the effective protection and preservation of the best traditions of all ethnic groups, the white paper said.