In April 2005, Xi Jinping, then Party Secretary of Zhejiang province, visited the Kuahuqiao Site in the provincial capital of Hangzhou on a fact-finding trip. The site yielded an 8,000-year-old dugout canoe — one of the oldest surviving in the world.

As several photographers crossed into the restricted area around the canoe to get a better angle, Xi kindly asked them to step back.

"Taking photos is secondary — protecting cultural relics comes first," Xi said.

The small episode reflected Xi's long-standing commitment to preserving China's cultural heritage.

Xi once called cultural relics "a valuable legacy from our ancestors", saying they embody China's history, culture and splendid civilization and sustain a great national spirit.

"The protection of cultural relics is the duty of the current generation and will benefit many generations to come," Xi said.