JINAN -- The local legislature in East China's Shandong province has passed a regulation on the protection of the Great Wall of Qi, the country's oldest existing Great Wall.

Lawmakers approved the regulation at the 38th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th Shandong Provincial People's Congress on Wednesday, and it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

The Great Wall of Qi, with a total length of 641 km, was built during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C.-476 B.C.) and the Warring States Period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.).

The new regulation specifies the responsibilities of various departments, and emphasizes regional cooperation on the protection and utilization of the Great Wall of Qi.

It states that local governments will establish a dynamic conservation system using remote sensing satellites, drones, information platforms and other technological means to monitor the Great Wall, its related infrastructures and the surrounding environment.

Tourism services featuring the Great Wall will be further standardized to balance protection and development, according to the regulation.

The protection situation of the Great Wall of Qi faces many challenges, and therefore, it is necessary to provide a solid legal guarantee for its conservation efforts, said Qi Yan'an, an official with the provincial justice department.

The Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consisting of many interconnected walls.