China is speeding up its protection on the country's intangible cultural heritage. The latest milestone is that the protection has been written into law after being in preparation since 2005. So, what are the do's and don'ts of the law? Our reporter Zhang Song finds out from a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon.

"This is a copy of the newly-released law on the protection of China's intangible cultural heritage. It will be put into practice on June 1. The six chapters carries the central government's ambition to develop the country's rich and diverse cultural legacy." Reporter Zhang Song said.

A precise census is the foundation of the protection mission, and it has a long way to go. The law regulates that governments of all levels should take on the duty of carrying out a complete survey to create a list of protection items. Funds earmarked for the protection job should be guaranteed from each governments' financial budget.

Cultural authorities must also support the recruitment of inheritors of intangible heritage items. They should sponsor passing the legacy on to the younger generation, as well as promoting the heritage to the public.

Tian Qing, Research Staff of Chinese National Academy of Arts, said, "As we all know, China has accomplished enormous and compelling achievements since the Opening-up and Reform Policy was introduced three decades ago. Such speed of modernization has never happened in any other country. However, much Chinese intangible cultural heritage was pushed to the edge of extinction during the process of modernization and the impact of western culture. For instance, statistics from the late 1970s show there were more than 50 kinds of folk opera in North China's Shanxi Province. While two decades later only half had survived. The pace of art extinction is striking. It is almost equal to the speed of modernization. Fortunately both the government and citizens have realized the importance of intangible culture protection."

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon in Beijing, Cai Wu, China's Minister of Culture described the law as a milestone for the country's intangible cultural heritage efforts. Cai also communicated with experts to hear their feedback.

After the applause dies down for the protection of intangible cultural heritage being written into law, some experts are calling for detailed rules. For instance, they want to see a detailed process that foreign organizations and individuals must undertake before conducting surveys of intangible cultural heritage in China.