The signing ceremony for the multilateral cooperation agreement to preserve and promote Grand Canal culture. [Photo/IC]

The second Beijing-Hangzhou Dialogue, an annual event focusing on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal cultural belt, commenced in Beijing on Sept 23 and will last until Sept 27.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is an ancient waterway system that extends throughout the northeastern and central-eastern plains of China, running from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014.

The dialogue aims to push forward the national guideline to protect and take advantage of resources in the Grand Canal so as to turn it into a platform for open communication with the world.

At the opening ceremony on the morning of Sept 23, the Information Office of the Beijing Municipal Government, Information Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Government, Hangzhou Municipal Government, China News Service, and World Historic and Cultural Canal Cities Cooperation Organization (WCCO) jointly signed a multilateral cooperation agreement to preserve and promote Grand Canal culture.

Culture and tourism authorities in Beijing and Zhejiang also signed a cooperation agreement to facilitate the development of cultural tourism in both places.

A series of financial products revolving around Grand Canal culture were jointly released by Bank of Beijing and Bank of Hangzhou on site.

Grand-Canal-themed books are displayed at the opening ceremony of the second Beijing-Hangzhou Dialogue. [Photo/IC]