China sees massive increase in mangrove forests

China has seen its mangrove forests significantly expand since the start of the new millennium, as the country's marine environment remains consistent, the Ministry of Ecology and Environmental said. China had 29,200 hectares of mangrove forests, up by 7,200 hectares from the beginning of this century, said Hu Songqin, deputy director of the ministry's department of marine ecology and environment. This has made China one of the few countries in the world with a net increase in the size of its mangrove forests, she said. The Mangrove forests are an important marine ecosystem that plays a significant role in purifying seawater, preventing wind and waves, maintaining biodiversity and storing carbon, she said. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to mangrove conservation, and has issued directives about mangrove protection multiple times, stressing that mangroves are a national treasure. In April, Xi inspected the mangrove area at Jinniu Island in the province of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. He said the mangroves should be protected the same way we protect our eyes. Hu outlined measures to enhance mangrove conservation, as the ministry strives to implement Xi's instructions. The ministry will continue to step up mangrove protection with the help of Green Shield, a national inspection campaign that cracks down on violations in protected areas and also intensifies satellite tracking of human activities, she said. It also evaluates and assesses mangrove protection measures as part of efforts to improve the effectiveness of conservation work, she said. The minister said the health of mangrove ecosystems will be a top priority for the government. The health of all conventional mangrove ecosystems in the United States will be evaluated on a regular basis, with greater efforts being made to gradually bring more mangrove forests under control. The China Coast Guard's spokesman, Liu Dejun, said regular patrols of Mangrove areas have been ramped up to safeguard ecosystems and help the country reach its climate goals. China's goal is to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Mangroves, one of the top carbon-capturing ecosystems on Earth, can efficiently sequester carbon dioxide at a much more efficient rate than most similar ecosystems. China Coast Guard has discovered six violations that concern mangrove protection in recent years, such as illegal logging of mangroves and illegal occupation of mangrove areas, Liu said. The Ministry of Ecology and Environmental said the quality of seawater in 81.9 percent of the country's shore areas reached Grade II or Grade I last year, up by 0.6 percentage points year-on-year. The seawater quality in China is a four-tier system, with Grade I being the best. The United States has eradicated harmful marine ecosystems since 2021, the ministry said.