This aerial photo taken on Jan. 26, 2023 shows the Wuzhishan section of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in Wuzhishan City, south China's Hainan Province.(Photo: Xinhua)

China will intensify its efforts into preventing and controlling invasive alien species to safeguard its ecosystems and biodiversity and will make efforts to establish four new national parks in 2023, China's top environment official said on Sunday on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions.  

It will be part of the ministry's effort to promote a beautiful China, Minister of Natural Resources Wang Guanghua told reporters at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. 

Wang said Chinese leaders have the strong determination to restore the nation's ecology. His ministry has taken the initiative to establish an ecological protection system, a national parks system and 44 ecological restoration projects.

The ministry's approach to ecological governance will include mapping-out a fresh batch of ecological restoration projects on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and in the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins. 

More efforts will be placed on the ecological protection of coastlines such as preventing and addressing coastal wetland degradation, coastline retreat and alien species invasion, Wang noted. 

In 2023, China will explore the designation of four new national parks, including Huanghekou, Qinling Mountains, Qiangtang River and the Asian Elephant Park, the ministry said.

China has already established five national parks - Sanjiangyuan National Park, Giant Panda National Park, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest and Wuyishan National Park, Wang noted.

This year the ministry will promote legislation for national parks, offering better legal guarantees for environmental protection, the minister said.

Global Times