An aerial photo of the Jiulongshan Mangrove Wetland Park in Zhanjiang, South China’s Guangdong Province, on July 22, 2023. Photo: IC

An international mangrove center will be established in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province, to facilitate global mangrove preservation and cooperation, according to a decision made at an international convention meeting. 

The 62nd meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands) on local time Wednesday deliberated and passed the regional proposal submitted by China on the establishment of the center, China News reported Thursday. 

China announced that it would strengthen international cooperation on wetland conservation and establish an international mangrove center in Shenzhen during the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) held in November 2022. 

The center is expected to benefit China to carry out international cooperation, dialogues and exchanges on mangrove protection and restoration with all parties through the Convention platform, effectively promote the worldwide mangrove protection and restoration and rational utilization, and continuously expand the influence of the center, China News reported. 

Mangrove forests offer shelters and rest spaces to a variety of species, including birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians and have important ecological functions of carbon sequestration and storage.

China has attached great importance to the protection of mangroves in recent years, enacting laws and regulations, launching campaigns to protect the species. China already has six national mangrove protection reserves and more than 10 technical documents such as afforestation and ecological restoration of mangrove have been rolled out. 

China’s mangrove area has increased from 22,000 hectares in 2001 to 27,000 hectares now, making it one of the few countries in the world with a net increase in mangrove areas. 

This year marks the 31st anniversary of China’s accession to the Ramsar Convention. According to media reports, China leads the world in having the most international wetland cities, being home to 13 among all 43 cities globally. With 4 percent of the world’s wetlands, China meets the ecological, productional, living and cultural needs of one-fifth of the world’s population.

Global Times