From June 1st, Regulation on the Protection of the Grand Canal Cultural Heritage in Huai'an (hereinafter referred to as the Regulation) comes into force, being the first local regulation specially formulated so as to protect the Grand Canal cultural heritage. After that, any unit or individual that violates the rules will bear corresponding legal liabilities.

The Regulation includes 39 articles in 5 chapters, covering the current situation and the major problems of the Canal cultural heritage in the protection, management, inheritance and utilization process. It also straightens out the scope, responsibility and measures for the protection, standardizes the regulation design, carries out the protection list, restricts relevant construction activities and clarifies relevant legal responsibilities for violations. At the same time, a comprehensive protection and coordination mechanism and a responsibility list system are stipulated for the Canal, as well as the main working responsibilities of the relevant government departments.

In 2014, the Grand Canal was listed in The World Heritage List. Located in the middle of the Canal, Huai'an section plays an important role. With a total length of 68 kilometers, it is the earliest and longest stretch in China. The total area of Huai'an Heritage Zone and Buffer Zone of the Grand Canal is more than 10,000 hectares, accounting for about 1 / 7 of the whole; 42 heritage items in Huai'an section are listed in National Grand Canal Heritage Protection and Management Plan, accounting for 1 / 8 of the total 326 items in 35 cities along the Canal. In recent years, Huai'an has made a scientific protection plan for the Grand Canal, deeply explored its historical and cultural resources, fully demonstrated the regional characteristics of Huaiyang culture, accumulated valuable experience and achieved fruitful results.