China Daily:

We have noticed that the Ministry of Natural Resources has guided coastal areas to launch a series of major projects for marine eco-environmental protection and restoration. Could you share some more details on that? And what measures have been taken to preserve and restore the eco-environment? Thank you.

Sun Shuxian:

Thank you for your interest. Since the launch of the 13th Five-Year Plan, we have applied both natural rehabilitation and artificial restoration methods, and organized and implemented a series of major projects, with 175 projects having been implemented that have now delivered substantial results. I would like to answer your questions in combination with several specific examples.

One is the problems of "hard seawalls" destroying the ecological functions of coastlines. We have undertaken ecological renovation of seawalls, leveraging ecosystems' natural disaster mitigation capabilities to enhance the resilience of coastal zones. Another example is the problem of degradation of coastal wetlands caused by artificial structures and invasion of alien species. We have restored the ecological functions of these wetlands by demolishing artificial structures and promptly replanting mangroves, salt marsh vegetation and seagrass after removing invasive species. Our ecological restoration measures also include rehabilitating mangrove forests, coral reefs and seagrass beds, as well as protecting and rescuing rare and endangered species. We've implemented engineering measures such as renovating seawall openings, dredging, and managing bays. Generally, we have taken category-based, region-specific measures in accordance with local conditions and timing.

At present, marine eco-environment protection and restoration projects have yielded remarkable social, ecological, and economic benefits. These efforts have effectively reduced regional ecological degradation, significantly improved marine ecosystem quality, and strengthened ecosystem connectivity, stability, and integrity. I'd like to share two examples with you. The first is Xiamen, Fujian. Since 1988, starting with the comprehensive management of Yundang Lake, Xiamen has gradually implemented comprehensive management projects in the western sea area, Wuyuan Bay, Xinglin Bay, the eastern coastal area, and Maluan Bay. Through coordinated land and marine development and river-sea linkage, Xiamen has achieved systematic governance. This presents a vivid picture of the "Xiamen Approach," which features harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Recently, many media outlets have visited Xiamen, and I believe they were all impressed by what they saw.

Additionally, Beihai in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has implemented the "Blue Bay" improvement project. The initiative has basically curbed the deterioration of sea area environmental quality and coastal wetland degradation. It has also established connectivity along the shorelines of Yintan Beach and steadily increased the area of mangrove forests, yielding significant ecological, economic, and social benefits.  

According to statistics, since the launch of the 13th Five-Year Plan, we have improved and restored 1,680 kilometers of coastlines and over 50,000 hectares of coastal wetlands nationwide. These efforts have improved the structure and function of typical marine ecosystems, effectively restoring habitats for rare and endangered species such as Chinese white dolphins and horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus). Additionally, we have mitigated disruptions to the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, a route for migratory birds. Furthermore, our initiatives have also enhanced the sense of fulfillment and happiness of people living near and interacting with the sea, and built a safety barrier for the high-quality development of coastal regions. Thank you.