BEIJING (XINHUA)

China's Great Wall section of Jiangjunguan, a historically strategic pass, will open to the public soon, authorities announced on Sunday.

Following restoration work and emergency reinforcements, the section in Beijing's Pinggu District is scheduled to open as early as the end of 2026, according to the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau.

The Great Wall in Beijing, primarily built during the Ming Dynasty era (1368-1644), stretches over 500 kilometres across several districts in China. Pinggu District boasts rich resources with more than 200 sites spanning over 50 kilometres.

The pass of Jiangjunguan is the first major gateway at the eastern end of the Ming Great Wall within Beijing. A critical thoroughfare historically, it was a strategically vital location contested by various forces.

Shi Qiang, deputy head of the district's cultural relics management bureau, said recent preparations to open the previously closed sections have included clearing weeds and laying gravel paths while preserving the structure's original features.

In recent years, several opened sections of the Great Wall in Beijing have integrated culture and tourism by tapping into their historical and cultural significance through activities such as night tours and study visits, transforming the resources into an advantage for development, added said Bi Jianyu, an official at the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau.