The Committee,

1. Having examined document ITH/17/12.COM/8.c,
2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 4.COM 14.03,
3. Expresses its thanks to China for submitting its report on the status of the element ‘Traditional design and practices for building Chinese wooden arch bridges’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
4. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by China to safeguard the element, in particular by establishing training and practice centres for woodworkers, documenting the element through data collection and undertaking the maintenance and restoration of wooden bridges;
5. Invites the State Party to continue its safeguarding efforts by encouraging bearers to participate in exhibition and exchange activities, developing school textbooks on wooden bridge-making craftsmanship, supporting the transmission of related knowledge, and promoting the element through documentary films on the TV and other media;
6. Encourages the State Party to pay particular attention to the remaining challenges such as the continued lack of practice opportunities, which undermines transmission, the difficulty of stimulating enthusiasm among youth and the scarcity of the timber required for building and renovating the bridges;
7. Further encourages the State Party to meet the deadline of 15 December 2017 for the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.