WARSAW: UNESCO on Friday (Saturday in Manila) declared the Hoh Xil nature reserve in China’s Qinghai Province a natural heritage site in a controversial decision challenged by pro-Tibet activists. The Hoh Xil nature reserve, located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is home to over 200 animal species. It is China’s largest world natural heritage site, covering an area of 45,000 square kilometers (17,400 square miles). “Just inscribed as @UNESCO #WorldHeritage Site: Qinghai Hoh Xil, #China,” the UN’s cultural arm tweeted during its World Heritage Committee meeting in Krakow. A handful of pro-Tibet activists protested earlier this week while the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) advocacy group warned that giving Hoh Xil heritage status could have consequences for Tibet.

Source: Manila Times July 08, 2017 15:33 UTC