CULTURAL HERITAGE PROTECTION LEGAL REGULATION IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEORETICAL ASPECTS

Abstract

Introduction. This study analyzes problematic trends in the context of the legal protection of cultural heritage, taking into account the provisions of Russian public law and the state law of the People's Republic of China. It has been underlined that international cooperation in the field of culture is a significant platform for the development of international relations. It has been emphasized that in 2025, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China expanded cooperation in the field of cultural heritage preservation. The author's analysis of the position of law enforcement agencies on the issue under study has been provided.

Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the study consists of general scientific methods of cognition (analysis, synthesis, deduction, systems approach), as well as specific scientific methods: a formal legal method has been used to analyze regulatory legal acts governing the legal protection of cultural heritage; a comparative legal method has been applied to study international experience; and a systemic-structural method allowed us to consider the legal regime for the protection of cultural heritage as a holistic system of interconnected elements. The empirical basis is comprised of laws and regulations of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, as well as international experience in ensuring the legal protection of cultural heritage.

Results and Conclusions. The study concludes that the need to restore historical memory, as well as the state-mandated objective of preserving cultural heritage, have led the People's Republic of China to joining the key international agreements on the protection of cultural property. It has been noted that the People's Republic of China's regulatory framework for the protection of cultural heritage is dynamically developing and improving. It has been substantiated that the most important tool for preserving cultural heritage sites and preventing their export outside the country is the legislative ban on the sale of cultural property to foreign citizens.

Discussion. The research into the problems of harmoniously ensuring the legal protection of cultural heritage requires further scientific analysis in the context of the regulatory framework for the proper implementation of this legal mechanism. It appears that a promising direction for its development is the regulatory balance between ensuring the proper protection of cultural heritage and the exercise of citizens' rights to access cultural heritage sites.