Spring Festival has been added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list by the UN's culture agency.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) made the decision on Wednesday, noting that the festival promotes family values, societal cohesion and peace.

Spring Festival, a tradition dating back thousands of years, marks the start of the new year in the Chinese calendar.

Unesco said the festival incorporates social customs to welcome the new year, seek blessings for good fortune, celebrate family reunions and promote community harmony.

Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Rao Quan expressed gratitude for Unesco's recognition, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Rao stressed that the Spring Festival stands as China's most important traditional festival, embodying Chinese people's aspirations for a better life and strong ties with family and the nation.

With this addition, China now has a total of 44 items on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the highest number in the world.