The Guangzhou government will invest 10.7 billion yuan (US$1.29 billion) to build cultural facilities in the city, the Guangzhou Daily reported yesterday.

The plan would boost the cultural scene in Guangzhou, the newspaper said. The planned facilities include a new library, the construction of which would kick off shortly. The Guangzhou Opera House started construction in July last year while that of the Guangzhou Bud Theater is going smoothly. In addition, a museum to commemorate the Revolution of 1911, during which Dr. Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and the municipal literary art creation center are under construction. Plans for many other museums of Chinese folk culture or Chinese history are being reconsidered, according to the newspaper.

The fourth cultural relic survey, which started years ago, was finished in Guangzhou this year. It is said to be the most comprehensive survey in the city's history. Over 3,270 valuable clues of cultural relics have been found, the newspaper said.

In the past five years, Guangzhou had invested heavily in the discovery and protection of cultural relics. The city now has 219 protected relic sites, including 19 of the national level.

Editor: Yan