Haining city, in east China's Zhejiang Province, has applied to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have the tide of the Qiantang River placed on the World Heritage list. 

Wang Jiren, director of the Haining City Tourism Bureau, said that preparations for inviting UNESCO officials and experts to make an on-the-spot investigation in the near future were well under way. 

'The tide is a valuable heritage both of China and the world as a whole,' Wang said. 

Qiantang tide near Haining is regarded as one of the most amazing phenomena in China. Scientists say that the bell-shaped mouth of the Qiantang near the city helps form the not-to-be- missed tide, which has a crest as high as 3.5 meters. 

An international tide watching festival has been held annually since 1994 and has attracted millions of domestic and overseas tourists.

2002/04/24
Source: Xinhuanet