China steps up conservation efforts of coastal ecosystems

As the World Oceans Day is marked on Sunday, China is making significant strides in protecting and restoring vital coastal ecosystems, particularly mangroves and coral reefs that are vital to healthy marine ecology.

The Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve in the southernmost island province of Hainan is China's first wetland reserve primarily dedicated to mangrove conservation. In recent years, the reserve has planted 130 hectares of mangroves as part of intensified restoration efforts.

"Water quality has become much better. While we previously documented only three seagrass species, our recent surveys have identified an increase to five species. Only when the ecosystem continues turning for the better will new species gradually emerge," said Feng Erhui, forestry engineer at the reserve.

The tropical island province has established 14 mangrove reserves covering 73 percent of its existing mangroves. This year, Hainan plans to add 2,000 hectares of mangroves while developing ecological compensation mechanisms to encourage public participation in conservation efforts.

In east China's Fujian province, the Zhangjiangkou Mangrove National Nature Reserve is the country's most biodiverse mangrove community north of the Tropic of Cancer covering an area of over 266 hectares.

"The ambient climate is relatively stable at this stage, when we should take the advantage of favorable weather to vigorously replant mangroves, as the survival rates are relatively higher now," said Wu Haisheng, deputy director of the reserve.

Fujian is also stepping up its efforts to protect coral reefs. Researchers from the Ministry of Natural Resources' Third Institute of Oceanography have just launched Fujian's first systematic coral rehabilitation project in Dongshan waters.

The team employs a technological system of artificial cultivation plus transplantation, asexually propagating coral fragments until they grow up to five cm, then affixing them to natural or artificial reefs.

"We geometrically increase coral quantities by fragmenting parent colonies, then affix the cuttings to custom ceramic holders to create transplant-ready seedlings for natural or artificial reefs," said associate researcher Wang Jianjia.

"We conduct regular maintenance and health checks on transplanted corals while monitoring coral growth patterns and reef restoration effects. These findings will provide us with more valuable reference for our future coral cultivation and planting efforts," Zhou Xijie, assistant researcher at the institute, explained the post-transplantation care. These initiatives demonstrate China's integrated approach to marine conservation, combining habitat protection with active restoration to maintain coastal resilience and biodiversity.

China steps up conservation efforts of coastal ecosystems

Japanese people gathered in Tokyo on Friday to protest against the government's recent decision to revise the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" which now allows the export of lethal weapons.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, officially revised the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" and their implementation guidelines.

The revisions scrap the restrictions that had limited arms exports to five non-combat categories, allow, in principle, the export of lethal weapons, permit transfers to nations engaged in active conflict under specified circumstances, and sideline parliament from the decision-making process -- crossing a line that previous governments had at least nominally upheld.

Protesters assembled in Shinjuku district on Friday evening, voicing strong opposition to the dangerous shift away from Japan's postwar pacifist principles and expressing deep concerns over Japan's failure to fully reflect on its wartime past.

"It's unforgivable. Revising the 'three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology' through a simple Cabinet decision is absolutely unacceptable," said a protester.

"We should have properly reflected on the war that happened over 80 years ago, but we haven't. Is it acceptable if people are killed by the weapons, missiles, or bombs we export? Absolutely not. Such a thing must never be allowed to happen. That is why I strongly oppose this policy," said another protester.

Also on Friday, over a thousand protesters gathered in front of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headquarters, holding placards and chanting slogans demanding the resignation of Takaichi.

They expressed growing frustration with the current administration and condemned the export of lethal weapons.

"This has gone too far. Japan is becoming an outrageous country. From exporting weapons to revising the Constitution, everything is shifting. The LDP has long had this tendency, and under the Takaichi administration, the situation has become even worse. If we don't stop this now, Japan will turn into a truly frightening nation," said a protester.

"Manufacturing and selling weapons that may be used to kill people is something the Japanese public cannot tolerate. The government made this decision arbitrarily, and it is completely unacceptable," said another protester.

"I really hope the government stops exporting lethal weapons. My child even asked me, 'Is Japan going to sell weapons and start a war?' We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening," said a mother participating in the rally, expressing her worry for future generations.

Protesters gather in Tokyo, protest against Japan's move to allow lethal weapon exports