Soochow University held the launch ceremony of the Sino-Portugal Joint Laboratory in Science of Cultural Heritage Conservation supported by the Belt and Road Initiative on November 18.

The laboratory, established with the approval of the Ministry of Science and Technology, will focus on technical needs from countries along the BRI, promote practical cooperation among scientists, and offer a strong support for BRI projects.

Initiated by the Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, the laboratory was established in partnership with the University of Évora, Portugal, and City University of Macau.

With the technological progress, cultural heritage conservation is becoming a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive discipline. The laboratory will center on material analysis and new technologies, inheritance and sustainable development of urban and architectural heritage, and traditional crafts and industrial innovation, according to Wu Yongfa, president of the Gold Mantis School of Architecture. The laboratory has also entered into cooperation agreement for projects including material identification, conservation and restoration, and talent training with institutes from over 20 regions and countries, such as Britain and France. In the future, the laboratory will also actively support BRI projects together with Macau and Portuguese-speaking countries.

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