The Pingtan county cultural and sports bureau said on August 12 that an underwater site of the Haitan Strait has been recognized as a national relic protection unit, making it Pingtan's first state-level relic protection site.

Experts say that the Haitan Strait boasts one of China's largest underwater relic collections, and various kinds of ancient chinaware have been unearthed at its cultural relic spots.

The underwater site was a vital part of the Maritime Silk Route in ancient China, and the cultural relics offer important evidence of trade routes and economic exchanges during that time.

Experts also say that the exploration of the Haitan Strait is of great significance for China's underwater archaeology research.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Niva Whyman