Northeast China tiger and leopard park ensures survival of rare species, enriches regional ecosystem

The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park has achieved remarkable results in ensuring the survival of the flagship species and enriching the regional ecosystem through effective conservation measures.

China has attached great importance to the conservation of flagship species to drive regional ecological protection and the development of ecological civilization.

Covering Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park -- home to approximately 70 wild Siberian tigers, 80 wild Amur leopards, and about 10,000 humans -- was officially established in 2021.

Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers, mainly live in Russia's Far East and northeast China. As one of the world's most endangered species and a flagship species of the forest ecosystem, only 12 to 16 wild Siberian tigers were believed to have been living in China in 1998.

"The Siberian tigers are extremely rare. At the beginning of this century, there were less than 20 wild Siberian tigers in China. Since the establishment of the park, their population within the park has now recovered to around 70. The Amur leopard is even more endangered. By the end of the last century, the global population of Amur leopards had hovered around 50, with only about 10 remaining in China. As of now, the population of wild Amur leopards within the park has reached 80. Such rapid recovery growth is rare worldwide," said Guan Yun, deputy director of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park Administration.

The park, with Siberian tigers and Amur leopards as flagship species, not only protects their habitats but also safeguards all animals and plants species.

"The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, established with the primary goal of protecting the Siberian tigers and Amur leopards, has also protected 884 species of higher plants and 397 species of vertebrate animals within the park while focusing on the flagship species of the Siberian tiger and Amur leopard," Guan said.

Thanks to these conservation efforts, the Siberian tiger population in China has continued to rebound. Last year, 20 Siberian tiger cubs and 15 Amur leopard cubs were born in the park.

"So far, the forest coverage in Hunchun has reached 86 percent, and there has been a significant increase in the biodiversity. Within the tiger and leopard national park alone, the total number of wild plant and animal species in Hunchun City has exceeded 1,270, with over 400 being wild animals. Among them, there are 16 species of wild animals under China's first-class national protection and 51 species under second-class national protection," said Liu Linbo, director of Hunchun Branch of Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park Administration.

Northeast China tiger and leopard park ensures survival of rare species, enriches regional ecosystem

Northeast China tiger and leopard park ensures survival of rare species, enriches regional ecosystem

More than 100 representatives of the Chinese-Filipino community and descendants of war veterans gathered at Manila's Chinese Cemetery on Tuesday to pay tribute to overseas Chinese who fought against the Japanese occupation during World War II.

The memorial ceremony was also attended by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian and other officials of the embassy.

Among the attendees was 96-year-old Mike Lu, or Lu Shuiya, a veteran of the Philippine Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerilla Force, known as Wha-Chi in the Philippines. Every year during the Qingming Festival which falls on April 4 this year, he would visit the cemetery to honor his fallen comrades.

"We will not forget, the people will not forget, the motherland will not forget," said Lu in a speech.

Another veteran, 102-year-old Wang Chenli, also participated in the ceremony.

Alongside Ambassador Huang and other dignitaries, the two elderly fighters laid wreaths and bowed in remembrance at the monument dedicated to the Chinese resistance fighters.

Following Japan's occupation of the Philippines in 1942, overseas Chinese in the country set up resistance groups such as the Philippine-Chinese Anti-Japanese Force and the Philippine-Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces, and latter is also known as Wha-Chi.

Wha-Chi played an impressive role in the fight against Japanese aggressors in over three years of the occupation.

The unit killed, wounded, and captured more than 2,000 enemy troops, at a cost of 77 casualties among its own ranks. After the war, the Chinese-Filipino community erected multiple memorials to commemorate these wartime heroes.

"Many people do not know that the Chinese minority in the Philippines was very fearless and very consistent in resisting Japanese militarism during World War II. We should not forget the war history in order to preserve and uphold peace," said Wilson Lee Flores, a well-known columnist in the Philippines.

Chinese WWII resistance fighters in Philippines commemorated