On 6th June, an investigation group led by Tang Kai, the director of the Planning Division of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, arrived in Zhongshan and held the first assessment meeting. Deputy Secretary of Zhongshan Municipal Party Committee Peng Jianwen, as well as Deputy Mayor Deng Xiaobing, municipal government secretary He Zhenzhang and Cai Ying, deputy director of Guangdong Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development attended the meeting.

In the end of 2006, Zhongshan initiated the construction of national historical and cultural city. In 2008, the first document Opinions of Promoting Construction of National Historical and Cultural City was released and planed to invest 10 billion yuan within three years to carry out eight cultural projects, marking the overall launching of the construction. With two years’full preparation, Zhongshan submitted related documents to the State Council after preliminarily examined by Guangdong Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in November 2009.

Deng Xiaobin mentioned in his report to the investigation group that as a concentrated reflection of the deep historical and cultural accumulation of a city and an important symbol of the comprehensive competitiveness of a city, the National Historical and National City would play a significant role in promoting the city image.

The investigation group will inspect and assess various aspects of Zhongshan, including the conservation conditions of historical sites and cultural relics in Zhongshan, protection plans, protection state of history and culture protection units, and heritage survey etc., and then report the results to the State Council. From 7th on, the investigation group will conduct field trips in the famous cultural landscapes in Zhongshan. According to Cai Ying, six cities in Guangdong have been listed in National Historical and Cultural City up until now.