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China approves establishment of Huangyan Dao national nature reserve

Global Times

Move reflects China's law-based approach to marine governance: expert

By GT staff reporters Published: Sep 10, 2025 11:09 PM

A Global Times reporter has learned from the Ministry of Natural Resources that China's State Council has recently responded and approved a proposal by the Ministry of Natural Resources to establish Huangyan Dao national nature reserve.

The establishment of the nature reserve is an important guarantee for maintaining the diversity, stability and sustainability of Huangyan Dao's ecosystem, according to the State Council's approval document.

The State Council has instructed relevant government departments and local authorities to strictly implement the regulations on nature reserves, as well as provisions related to the development and management of protected areas.

They are also required to improve management institutions, strengthen supervision and law enforcement against all types of illegal and irregular activities within the nature reserve, to ensure the implementation of all management measures, per the document.

On the same day, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration released details on the reserve's size, boundaries and zoning. According to a document released by the administration, the Huangyan Dao national nature reserve is located in Sansha City, South China's Hainan Province, covering 3,523.67 hectares. It includes a core zone of 1,242.55 hectares and an experimental zone of 2,281.12 hectares, with coral reef ecosystems listed as the main protection target.

Experts told the Global Times that the establishment of the nature reserve demonstrates China's commitment in protecting the marine environment. It represents a concrete step in defending territorial sovereignty, advancing ecological civilization, and deepening cooperation and governance on ecological protection in the South China Sea.

"The establishment of the reserve is a natural step following the announcement of the baselines and base points of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao. It reflects China's law-based and standardized approach to marine governance," Ding Duo, director of the Research Center for International and Regional Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

As Huangyan Dao has always been China's territory, China has both the right and responsibility to protect the ecosystem there. "The establishment of a national-level nature reserve not only reflects the exercise of sovereignty and jurisdiction, but also represents a concrete action to fulfill international obligations such as the Convention on Biological Diversity," Ding said.

Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, also noted that the move further consolidates China's sovereignty and maritime interests in the waters off Huangyan Dao, providing legal support for on-site law enforcement.

Science-based decision making

Experts emphasized that the reserve will strengthen environmental protection for an area with already rich natural ecosystems.

"This decision is also a strong rebuttal to the groundless accusations made by certain countries and organizations that China has damaged the marine environment of the South China Sea," Ding said. "By taking practical actions based on scientific protection and law-based management, China has effectively countered false narratives and enhanced its voice in international discussions on marine environment protection."

The Huangyan Dao area is home to typical tropical coral reef ecosystems with high biodiversity, which makes its conservation highly valuable. Ding stressed that the establishment of the reserve was based on solid scientific research and environmental surveys, representing an important expansion of China's marine protection network in the South China Sea.

The establishment of the Huangyan Dao nature reserve is a model for ecological environment protection and pollution management in the entire South China Sea, as well as for scientific research, Yang noted. "It not only sets a precedent for the country's future activities but also serves as a guiding example for neighboring countries and regions in the South China Sea, to jointly maintain the ecological environment and protect species resources," he noted.

According to the Investigation and Assessment Report on Marine Ecology and Environment Status of Huangyan Dao, which was jointly released by multiple institutions under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Guangxi University in 2024, China's Huangyan Dao area enjoys excellent environmental quality and a healthy coral reef ecosystem.

At the waters off the Huangyan Dao, investigation has found that both seawater and sediment were rated Grade I, pollutant levels in fish samples were below limits, and no cyanide was detected. The investigation recorded 109 species of hard corals from 34 genera and 12 families - the highest diversity ever documented in the region, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Over the past 10 years, the environment at the Huangyan Dao has been greatly improved, Yang said, noting that further protection measures, including the establishment of the nature reserve, would prevent destructive fishing activities that harm coral reefs and ensure the long-term sustainability of the marine ecosystem.

"The move, a continuation of China's long-standing commitment to marine ecological environment protection, is consolidating past achievements and providing a constructive model for the future," Yang said.