BEIJING -- China on Friday adopted a revised law to strengthen the protection of its abundant cultural relics.

Lawmakers voted to pass the updated Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics during a session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee. The revised law will take effect on March 1, 2025.

The country is currently conducting a national census of its cultural relics, which is set to run through 2026.

China is home to over 760,000 immovable cultural relics, 108 million pieces or sets of State-owned movable cultural relics, 40 World Cultural Heritage sites, and four mixed cultural and natural heritage sites, the government revealed in September.