Migratory bird habitat in China’s Liaoning bears significance for biodiversity conservation

Yalu River estuary in northeast China's Liaoning Province is a key biodiversity conservation area in China providing habitats for migratory birds and dozens of endangered species.

Situated at the northern edge of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion, the Yalu River estuary in Dandong, Liaoning Province is a crucial stopover site for birds migrating along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway which spans more than 20 countries and regions from the Arctic to Southeast Asia and Australasia.

Staff at the Dandong Yalu River Estuary National Nature Reserve are conducting research on the quantity, species, and spatial distribution of migratory waterbirds as they arrive here during their autumn migration.

"By doing these surveys we can understand the waterbirds' migration patterns, food chains and food distribution. We can also track these birds via satellite to monitor their migration routes and timings within the migratory area," said Ma Li from the nature reserve.

Ma added that the reserve has conducted surveys on northbound waterbirds for 26 consecutive years. The number of migratory birds being surveyed can reach 60,000 to 80,000 during the autumn migration.

As well as being a stopover site for migratory birds, Yalu River estuary also contributes to biodiversity conservation by providing vital habitats for endangered species within the region.

Preserving the typical coastal wetland landscape of East Asia, the Dandong Yalu River Estuary National Nature Reserve accommodates most species of the Liaodong Peninsula in northeast China, thus maintaining the richness and diversity of wildlife.

The nature reserve is home to 453 species of plants, 324 species of birds, more than 80 species of nektons, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

"In terms of global biodiversity conservation, the Yalu River Estuary Wetland in Dandong supports the survival and development of nearly 20 rare and endangered species in the world. Therefore, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this location holds significant importance," said Lei Guangchun, a professor from Beijing Forestry University.

The Yalu River estuary is one of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II) which was included in UNESCO's World Heritage List on July 26.

Migratory bird habitat in China’s Liaoning bears significance for biodiversity conservation

China has urged the United States to lift its unilateral tariffs on trading partners, said a spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce on Monday.

China has noticed the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling against the U.S. government's tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and is conducting a comprehensive assessment of its relevant content and impact, the ministry said.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the U.S. government's imposition of tariffs on trading partners under the IEEPA is illegal.

China has always opposed all forms of unilateral tariff increase measures, repeatedly stressing that trade wars produce no winners, and protectionism leads up to a blind alley, the spokesperson said.

The ministry said unilateral measures taken by the United States violate both international economic and trade rules and its own domestic laws, and run counter to the interests of all parties. Facts have proven that China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. China has urged the United States to lift its unilateral tariffs on trading partners.

China has also noticed that the United States is preparing to take alternative measures such as trade investigation, in order to maintaining tariffs imposed on trading partners. China will keep a close follow-up and firmly safeguard its interests, the spokesperson said.

China urges US to lift unilateral tariffs on trading partners