China makes remarkable achievements in biodiversity conservation

China has made significant strides in biodiversity conservation, with rare and endangered species rebounding and their habitats steadily improving, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Thursday marks International Day for Biological Diversity, under the theme "harmony with nature and sustainable development."

Currently, more than 200 rare and endangered wild animal species have entered the phase of recovery, while over 100 endangered plant species are now under conservation efforts.

The latest data from the 2024 national waterfowl monitoring program reveal that the total number of wintering waterfowl in China has reached 5.059 million, marking the highest recorded figure to date.

China's biodiversity continues to thrive in several key regions.

In the Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province, the population of Tibetan antelopes has increased from fewer than 20,000 in the early 1980s to over 70,000 today.

The Giant Panda National Park, spanning Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces, has established 13 ecological corridors, effectively protecting over 70 percent of the wild panda population.

The Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park in northeast China has implemented an integrated monitoring system. The park boasts more than 70 wild Siberian tigers and 80 wild Amur leopards.

In Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in south China's Hainan Province, the population of gibbons has rebounded to seven groups of 42 individuals.

Wuyishan National Park in east China has discovered new species including forest frogs and clubmoss.

Since its establishment, the China National Botanical Garden in the capital Beijing has collected over 5,000 living plant specimens of 2,800 species, including 110 national key protected species and 65 rare and endangered species.

The South China National Botanical Garden, in south China's Guangdong Province, has gathered more than 8,500 living specimens of 4,200 plant species, including 285 national key protected plants and 469 rare and endangered species.

China plans to further improve its ex-situ conservation system, which includes botanical gardens, germplasm resource banks, and wildlife rescue and breeding centers.

New national botanical gardens will also be established, and flagship animal protection research centers will be developed to strengthen biodiversity protection across the country.

China makes remarkable achievements in biodiversity conservation

China makes remarkable achievements in biodiversity conservation

Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end nearly four years of war in Ukraine, many Ukrainians remain defiant, demanding not just promises, but a peace grounded in justice.

Streets in Kiev bustle as usual, phones buzz with air raid alerts -- many checked, most shrugged off -- as Ukrainians adjust to a reality where war is both background noise and ever-present threat.

Peace discussions, including a scheduled meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday, are giving hope to some. But for many Ukrainians, the talk must translate into more than documents.

"The main key of the message to Trump is we're ready to discuss even controversial plans from you because we need peace, but this peace should be just peace, we don't need peace without justice. That's why we're ready to talk. We're ready to discuss. But we are not ready to capitulate," said Ivan Us, a senior consultant.

That delicate balance between hope for peace and the demand for justice echoes across the country, even as communities grapple with worsening humanitarian conditions.

"The situation is critical. No evacuees are coming from Pokrovsk. Security doesn't allow teams in, and people aren't leaving those settlements," said Evgenya Pinchuk, an NGO supervisor.

Others closer to combat zones describe an unrelenting emotional toll under near-constant threat.

"Drones fly over people every day. You go to bed wondering if your window will be hit. It's intense from morning to evening, and we're being shelled too," said one resident requesting anonymity.

The precarious state of Ukraine's energy infrastructure remains a target, with cold weather magnifying the impact of each strike.

"Russia targets energy because it hits daily life directly. When power and heat are unstable, services get disrupted and uncertainty grows, especially in winter," said Hennadi Ryabtsev, an energy analyst.

In places like Zaporizhzhia, home to a key nuclear power plant under dispute in ongoing peace talks, the anxiety is nearly constant.

"When strikes happen, you wonder: Will the lights go out? Will heating stop? Nights are restless - you're always preparing," said Olena Musher, a local resident.

Zelensky confirmed his planned face-to-face with Trump will focus on security guarantees and the status of Ukrainian territory. Among the key topics are regaining full control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility, and finalizing Ukraine's 20-point peace proposal, which he states is 90 percent complete.

Ukrainians defiant as peace talks doubts persist