Archaeological Discoveries Related to Silk Road in Eurasia， Africa Abundant

A recent report， with contribution of nearly 20 experts from over 10 countries， deemed the 2019 archaeological findings related to the Silk Road in Eurasia and Africa as remarkable discoveries.

The report， compiled by the International Silk Road and Intercultural Exchange Research Center of the China National Silk Museum， was released on June 19 at the opening of “2020 Silk Road Week” in Hangzhou， capital of eastern Chinas Zhejiang Province.

The forum aims to share relevant information on cultural heritage related to the Silk Road and provide opportunities for archaeologists worldwide to exchange information.

The report is divided into four categories， namely， archaeological discoveries， Silk Road-themed exhibitions， academic publications， and cultural activities. The first category lists a total of 63 archaeological discoveries related to the Silk Road in 2019.

China Adds Two Parks to List of UNESCO Global Geoparks

China has added another two geological parks to its list of UNESCO Global Geoparks， bringing the total number to 41， the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said on July 8.

The Xiangxi Geopark in central Chinas Hunan Province and Zhangye Geopark in northwest Chinas Gansu Province were approved as Global Geoparks by the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational， Scientific and Cultural Organization （UNESCO） at its 209th session on July 7， according to the administration.

The Xiangxi Geopark boasts 160 Paleolithic and Neolithic cultural heritage sites， while the Zhangye Geopark features color hills， the Danxia landform， and ophiolite suite.

To date， the number of Global Geoparks in China has surpassed one quarter of the worlds total， the administration said.

Shanghai Holds Exhibition on Chinese Maritime Firearms

An exhibition featuring cultural relics of Chinese maritime firearms opened at the China Maritime Museum in Shanghai on July 5.

More than 130 pieces or sets of items collected by the museum were displayed at the event to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of the national maritime museum.

Some of the precious relics on display dated back to the Yuan Dynasty （1271-1368） and the Qing Dynasty （1644-1911）， and some were showcased to the public for the first time， according to Li Xuemao， curator of the exhibition.

The special exhibition consists of five parts to show the historical features of Chinas maritime firearms and the development of the nations maritime science and technology， according to the museum.

The exhibition will run until October 25.

China Sets up Language Cooperation Center

Chinas Ministry of Education has set up a center to run Chinese language teaching programs， in a bid to deepen the language education exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries.

The center will operate as a public benefit institution to promote Chinese language teaching， the ministry said， noting that it will be involved in managing relevant education resources， setting standards for Chinese language teaching， and supporting academic research.

The institution is specifically responsible for coordinating the construction of an international Chinese education resource system， participating in the formulation and implementation of international Chinese education standards； supporting academic research of international Chinese teachers and compilation of textbooks； organizing international Chinese teacher exams， foreigner Chinese proficiency tests， relevant assessments and certifications； running international Chinese education related brand projects； and organizing Chinese and foreign language exchange cooperation.