Shandong University and the National Centre for Archaeology, which is directly affiliated to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, signed a strategic cooperation agreement on March 12 in Beijing, capital of China.

The Shandong University and the National Centre for Archaeology ink a strategic cooperation agreement on March 12 in Beijing. [Photo/view.sdu.edu.cn]

According to the agreement, the two sides will conduct in-depth cooperation in the fields of underwater archaeology, scientific and technological archaeology, cultural relic protection, education and training of talents and other fields.

The two sides will build the Marine Archaeology Research Center of Shandong University and set up the Marine Archaeology Teaching and Research Base of Shandong University at the national-level archaeological research institution based in Beijing.

Fan Liming, president of Shandong University, said that the signing of the strategic cooperation agreement marks a milestone in the university's development of its archaeological discipline and will promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and build China into a strong maritime nation.

"The two sides will forge ahead to make breakthroughs in key areas such as marine archaeology, world heritage and international archaeology of the Maritime Silk Road to enhance the voice and influence of Chinese archaeology in the international arena and promote the high-quality development of cultural undertakings in the new era," said Fan.