China's first national survey of moveable cultural relics will cover all possessions of state organs, public service units, state-owned enterprises and organizations on the mainland.

A work team leading the survey adopted an implementation plan on January 31, defining the targets of the survey from October 2012 to December 2016, a move to better gauge and protect national cultural relics.

The census aims to accumulate information on the status of the country's cultural relics and record their basic information without prejudice to ownership, said Li Xiaojie, head of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

After consulting with the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the census will also cover items preserved in the country's religious sites under cultural relics protection, Li said.

Fossils of ancient vertebrates and humans that are of scientific research value will also be surveyed, according to the plan.

However, cultural relics held by individuals and foreign collectors will not be included in the survey, the document said.

The exception was made out of consideration for private property rights, said Minister of Culture Cai Wu.