BEIJING, July 24 -- China's State Council has approved Weifang City in east China's Shandong Province as a national historical and cultural city, according to a notice on the website of the Chinese government released Friday.

The notice highlighted Weifang's long history, rich culture, abundant cultural heritage, well-preserved traditional layout and historical features, as well as its distinctive regional characteristics.

It urged Shandong provincial authorities and the Weifang municipal government to strengthen the protection and utilization of cultural heritage, clarify the spatial layout and historical evolution of the old city of Weixian, and formulate and implement relevant protection plans and management rules.

The notice also called for properly balancing urban development with cultural heritage protection, restoring historical and cultural blocks, and strengthening the conservation and adaptive use of immovable cultural relics and historic buildings.