The Committee,

1. Having examined document LHE/22/17.COM/6.a Rev.,
2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 4.COM 14.03, 12.COM 8.c.3 and 16.COM 7.a.8,
3. Expresses its appreciation to China for submitting, on time, its third 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 efforts described in the report submitted by China to safeguard the element, in particular through enhancing the practice and transmission of the element, strengthening community engagement, supporting an increasing number of bearers, and carrying out documentation, research, and educational and promotional activities, and further takes note of the efforts to safeguard both intangible and tangible aspects of the element, preserve the natural environment and sustain the supply of timber for building wooden arch bridges;
5. Invites the State Party to continue strengthening the transmission of the element in its local context, engaging younger generations and sustaining education and training on the element, supporting experienced bearers, as well as practitioners and apprentices to ensure the continuity of transmission, securing a sustainable supply of timber, preserving built wooden arch bridges and maintaining their functions, and consulting with local communities on monitoring, evaluating and adjusting safeguarding activities;
6. Encourages the State Party, communities and their organizations to continue their local fundraising efforts and developing synergies among various funding sources to ensure long-term sustainability of the element in its local context;
7. Notes also the planned building of wooden arch bridges in a larger geographical range, and further encourages the State Party to safeguard the social and cultural functions of the element and address the potential risk of decontextualization;
8. Acknowledges that the element was reported without the possibility of taking into account the recommendations made by the Committee on the previous report on the element, recalls the importance of regular periodic reporting, and further invites the State Party to follow the four-year reporting cycle for its future reports on the element;
9. Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2025 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.