BEIJING — The Chinese government has issued a national standard for the vocational skills of cultural-relic restorers, the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) said on Oct 19.

It is the first vocational standard for cultural heritage conservation, said Gu Yucai, deputy director of the NCHA.

The document regulates how to assess and grade the skills of cultural-relic restorers and what kind of written exams and skill reviews they should take to obtain vocational degrees.

Due to the lack of a national vocational standard, the training and career development of cultural-relic restorers had long lagged behind the needs of the trade and hindered cultural heritage conservation, Gu said.

Skillful and professional restorers are vital for the conservation and restoration standards of cultural heritage, he said.