The State Administration of Cultural Heritage recently launched an informants center for the reporting of law violations related to cultural relics.

Citizens can contact the center via phone or its website to complain about such violations, according to Li Xioajie, the administration director.

Several Chinese municipalities and provinces have established regional networks of informants, but no national system was used earlier, Li said at the center's launch on Aug 14.

Li said the move is to better promulgation the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics and create a smooth channel for public supervision especially in cases where higher authorities aren't aware of the violations.

He said the administration will respond to individual informants reporting with real names, and ensure the confidentiality of their identities.

The supervision department to oversee issues related to cultural relics was set up by the administration in 2009.

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