BEIJING, April 12 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the government to strike a balance between the conservation of cultural relics and economic development.

In a written instruction to a national meeting on the topic on Tuesday, Xi said that the balance is a difficult one to strike in a country that is urbanizing at such a fast pace.

The president called cultural relics "a valuable legacy from our ancestors," stressing that conservation will benefit future generations.

He urged Party and government departments to keep in mind that this conservation is part of their official duties, and suggested that "private sectors should be mobilized and involved in the effort."