The shift toward more systematic conservation is reflected in Beijing's latest legislation. The Great Wall Protection Regulation, which took effect on March 1, places the wall itself, related cultural heritage, and its surrounding environment under integrated protection. It also calls for differentiated conservation measures, minimal intervention, and coordinated protection with neighboring Tianjin and Hebei province, according to the Beijing Cultural Heritage Bureau.

　　Zhang said systematic conservation should advance on three fronts simultaneously: protecting the Great Wall and its historical setting, safeguarding related heritage, and strengthening coordination across regions.

　　The third aspect is particularly important because the ancient fortification stretches across multiple administrative areas where conservation capacity and expertise can vary, he said in an interview after the forum. "There needs to be greater coordination so that conservation follows consistent scientific principles."

　　Efforts to strengthen such cooperation are also emerging elsewhere along the Great Wall. Shanxi, where 1,401.23 kilometers of its remains are located, introduced regulations in July that include mechanisms for interprovincial coordination.

　　Zhang stressed that systematic conservation is a long-term endeavor that cannot be completed within a single five-year period, adding, "The Great Wall is so long and immense that it needs to be protected generation after generation."