Chinese experts to help in Notre-Dame reconstruction

Chinese experts will participate in the restoration of France's Notre-Dame cathedral, state media reported on Wednesday, following a meeting between the two countries' heads of state in Beijing.

This picture taken on October 15, 2019 shows wood structures supporting buttress at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, six months after the April 15 blaze, as reconstruction process is shaping up to be much more complex than many anticipated. [Photo: PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP]

The 850-year-old cathedral, which was scarred in April after a fire tore through its roof and toppled its spire, was the most visited historic monument in Europe.

Since the blaze, which took 400 firefighters to control, Chinese and French authorities have been in touch about cooperating on restoration efforts, reported official news agency Xinhua.

"China has a great deal of experience in renovating ancient buildings affected by fire, especially ones made of wood," said Chai Xiaoming, director of the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, in an interview with state-run China Daily.

"This means we could offer suggestions on how to approach the renovation of the oak-framed roof on Notre Dame Cathedral," he said.

Citing a document signed by the two countries during President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Beijing, Xinhua said Chinese experts will work with French teams in on-site restoration without elaborating.

"China and France will collaborate on the theme and model and select Chinese expert candidates for the cooperative restoration work in 2020," it said.

Notre Dame Cathedral is seen almost five months after the massive fire that ravaged the world-famous monument on September 06, 2019 in Paris, France. [Photo: Chesnot/Getty Editorial via VCG]

The partial destruction of Notre-Dame sparked an outpouring of condolences around the world earlier this year, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling the cathedral "an outstanding treasure of human civilisation."

Though its stained glass windows, towers, bells and most artworks and relics survived, reconstruction work to rebuild the 13th-century cathedral will take years.

It is only at the end of 2020 that a complete check will allow architects to work out how to restore the cathedral -- and no reconstruction is expected to start before 2021.

In addition to Notre-Dame, the agreement signed on Wednesday will also see France and China collaborate on protecting China's famous terracotta warriors in Xi'an, northern Shaanxi province, reported Xinhua.