China Advances Its National Park System to Promote Ecological Civilization

China has significantly developed its national park system, resulting in enhanced ecological diversity and sustainability, as shared by Liu Guohong, who leads the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Speaking at the third National Park Forum in Chengdu, he highlighted that this initiative represents a transformative step towards an ecological civilization, personally initiated by General Secretary Xi Jinping.

The ambitious goal of this national park system is to safeguard more than 1.1 million square kilometers of natural reserves as part of a vision to cultivate a more beautiful China and foster harmonious interactions between humans and nature. Liu pointed out the success of the inaugural five national parks, which have merged over 120 natural reserves, ensuring holistic protection and effective management of various ecosystems like mountains, rivers, and grasslands.

Noteworthy achievements include the Giant Panda National Park, which has successfully interconnected key habitats for wild giant pandas. In addition, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park has reported increases in its resident Amur tiger and leopard populations, while the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park has seen a resurgence of the Hainan gibbon, once on the brink of extinction.

Moreover, Liu mentioned that these national parks have positively impacted local communities by providing new development opportunities through initiatives such as ecological relocation and public service jobs. Nearly 50,000 local residents currently act as ecological guardians in these parks, earning between 10,000 to 20,000 yuan annually.

Tanya Steele, CEO of the World Wide Fund for Nature in the UK, praised China's proactive approach to creating the largest national park system globally, viewing it as transformative and ambitious. She emphasized that the system embodies broader efforts towards ecological civilization, underscoring China's commitment to environmental leadership and the crucial role well-managed protected areas play in achieving global environmental objectives.

The national parks are positioned as platforms for education and collaborative conservation practices. Steele expressed hope that China's initiative would exemplify how conservation can harmonize with sustainable development, proposing a future where both coexist beneficially.

Jonathan Austin, New Zealand's ambassador to China, commended China's leadership in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. He stressed the importance of national parks in addressing global biodiversity loss by 2030 and expressed New Zealand's eagerness to partner with China and other nations for a future where both nature and society flourish side by side.