The aquatic resources and biodiversity in Yangtze River have significantly recovered since the implementation of a decade-long fishing ban, with improvements observed in resource density, water quality, and the aquatic biological integrity index across key water bodies.
The resource density per unit area in the Yangtze River's mainstream increased by 16.7 percent year-on-year in 2023, while important tributaries saw a 64.3 percent rise in resource density, according to the "Yangtze River Basin Aquatic Biological Resources and Habitat Status Bulletin (2023)" released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the Ministry of Transport on Monday.
China implemented the fishing ban in the Yangtze River Basin in 2021 to accelerate the ecological restoration of its aquatic biodiversity and water environment.
In Jianli city, located in central Hubei province, a monitoring site in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River recorded 5.98 billion fish larvae from four major species -- black carp, grass carp, silver carp, and bighead carp -- an increase of 4.4 times compared to before the fishing ban.
In the lower reaches, the resource density of coilia nasus was 7.3 times higher than before the ban.
Since the implementation of the fishing ban, aquatic biodiversity in the Yangtze River has shown steady improvement.
In 2023, 227 species of indigenous fish were monitored in the Yangtze River Basin, an increase of 34 species year-on-year. Additionally, 14 species of nationally protected aquatic wildlife were recorded, 3 species more than that of the previous year.
The aquatic habitats in the Yangtze River have also remained generally stable.
In 2023, the overall water quality of the Yangtze River's main and tributary streams was rated as excellent, with 98.5 percent of the water sections classified as Class I to III, indicating that the water is suitable for drinking, swimming, and supporting aquatic life.
The intensity of new development projects affecting fisheries, such as sand mining and waterway regulation, has decreased. Meanwhile, the Aquatic Biological Integrity Index for the Yangtze River showed steady improvement.
"The Yangtze River's aquatic biological integrity index is categorized into six levels. In 2023, key water bodies, including the Yangtze River's mainstream, Dongting Lake, and Poyang Lake, maintained a Level 4 rating. This marks a significant improvement from the lowest Level 6 before the fishing ban, reflecting a two-level advancement," said Zhuang Ping, deputy director of Yangtze River Aquatic Biological Science Committee, which is under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
Fishing ban leads to significant recovery in aquatic resources and biodiversity in Yangtze River
Fishing ban leads to significant recovery in aquatic resources and biodiversity in Yangtze River
Fishing ban leads to significant recovery in aquatic resources and biodiversity in Yangtze River
The U.S. decision to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on imports from all trading partners was widely criticized on Friday by experts who called the move "unfounded" and stressed that other countries will take the opportunity to strengthen trade among themselves.
Amid widespread opposition, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order on the so-called "reciprocal tariffs", imposing a 10-percent "minimum baseline tariff" on all countries and higher rates on certain trading partners.
Speaking in a panel discussion on China Global Television (CGTN), experts rejected the administration's claims that other countries have taken unfair advantage of the U.S. trade deficit.
"It's an extremely strange situation that we're in right now. The U.S. has actually benefited hugely from a global open trading market despite having a trade deficit. So that concept of it being equal or zero just doesn't make sense," said Adam Dunnett, secretary general of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.
Madhav Nalapat, vice-chair of the Manipal Advanced Research Group, highlighted that Trump's desire for the U.S. to punish its trade partners dates back to the 1980s, when he lamented the decline of the country's manufacturing industry.
"Trump is sticking to his textbook. He has been having the same textbook 40 years. And yes, I agree the world has changed in 40 years. But the textbook that Trump has been using is the same which he began using, from what I'm talking about, 40 years ago. I'm surprised that anyone is surprised by what he has done. And the reality of situation is that he has been talking about an absence of a trade deficit with any country. Now yes, frankly, I also don't think it's a good solution in every circumstance," said Nalapat.
In all, the economists believe that this approach will ultimately isolate the United States, leaving other major economies to strengthen cooperation through multilateral trade frameworks.
"I think while the U.S. want to isolate it's, well, let them do it. But then somebody needs to carry on this global regime of free trade. And that's where the EU, China, Japan, South Korea, the rest of the world except the U.S. comes in. So, like you mentioned, there are many multilateral trade regimes we have created in the past -- RCEP is one, TPPCP is one, and obviously the WTO is one," said Takuji Okubo, managing director and chief economist for Japan Macro Advisors Inc.
"We have to work together if we can't work with the U.S. right now. We should try and solve the issues that we have together at a bilateral or regional level as well. The EU in its response to these and other issues in the past has been if we can't work together, then we'll find other people to work with. And I think the EU has actually demonstrated that quite strongly by having a number of free trade agreements that have been signed in the region with South Korea, with New Zealand, with Vietnam. And again, EU and China have also been talking about a potential agreement as well," said Dunnett.
Experts slam US tariffs, see opportunities for global cooperation without US
Experts slam US tariffs, see opportunities for global cooperation without US
