On January 9, 2015, the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the Auspices of UNESCO opened a branch in Harbin, capital city of Heilongjiang Province in northeast China. The Harbin base will not only facilitate the protection and sustainable development of natural and cultural heritages in Heilongjiang Province but also boost the building of an economic corridor connecting China, Mongolia and Russia and an economic belt along Longjiang terrestrial and maritime silk roads. Thus this base will contribute to the protection and sustainable development of natural and cultural heritages in Northeast China and even Northeast Asia.

The Northeast China-based branch will provide services for the entire Northeast Asia in close cooperation with HIST so that space technologies can be fully used to strengthen the scientific research and protection for natural and cultural heritages with joint efforts.

The Harbin base, the second branch of HIST in China, will rely on the Institute of Natural Resources under Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences to promote the cooperation and communication among Northeast China and Northeast Asia in monitoring, appraisal, protection and management of natural and cultural heritages for sustainable development.