Xiamen in east China's Fujian Province, a pioneer in China's 'Beautiful Bays' initiative with a sea area spanning over 330 square kilometers, has made significant strides in eco-environmental restoration, setting an example for sustainable development in a bay city.
China has launched an initiative to build beautiful bays to provide clear seawater, clean beaches, and desirable habitats for fish and seabirds and promote harmony between humans and seas.
In southeastern Xiamen, the 1.5-kilometer Guanyin Mountain Beach, now a favored retreat for both locals and tourists, was once a degraded stretch of coastline ravaged by erosion. Years of unchecked sand mining and coastal activities had narrowed the shoreline, leaving revetments exposed to relentless wave damage.
"Chaotic aquaculture operations further worsened the area's condition. Our restoration efforts have broken new ground in China -- there is no precedent," said Hong Rongbiao, a member of Xiamen's fourth marine expert group.
Beach restoration faced a major challenge: simply piling up sand would only lead to rapid erosion by waves. After careful study of wave patterns and extensive surveys of surrounding waters, the restoration team devised an innovative solution. They first screened suitable sand grains from nearby areas,and then constructed a pair of ear-shaped breakwaters extending seaward at both ends of the beach.
This ingenious design effectively dissipated wave energy, even during the occurrence of typhoons and high tides. The solution proved its worth in 2016 when the beach withstood Typhoon Meranti's onslaught, marking the successful completion of Guanyin Mountain Beach's ecological restoration.
"The restoration has yielded remarkable results. This area has been transformed into a popular coastal leisure space where residents can enjoy beach recreation and sports activities. The project has also spurred development of the surrounding CBD, allowing the public to experience ecological civilization through our oceanfront," said Hong.
In Aotou Village, located 10 kilometers from Guanyin Mountain Beach, residents once discharged domestic sewage directly into a lake that flowed out to sea.
"During the summer, we'd see masses of dead fish and had to cover our noses when passing by," recalled villager Jiang Haitang.
Recognizing the critical link between lake water quality and marine health, the village implemented an innovative water diversion system in every household. This system precisely separates and collects kitchen, bathroom, and laundry wastewater before channeling it into sewage treatment networks. Xiamen has now completed sewage treatment upgrades in 1,216 villages, increasing seawater exchange capacity by 30 percent. The coastal ecosystem has shown remarkable recovery, evidenced by the rebounding population of the Chinese white dolphin, a key marine health indicator, with stable sightings now exceeding 80 annually.
China's Xiamen sets example for sustainable development in bay city
China's Xiamen sets example for sustainable development in bay city
