China’s Yongxing Island in the South China Sea has witnessed the return of green sea turtles -- a protected species absent for nearly a decade -- after conservationists discovered four nesting sites of the rare marine animals.
Local conservationists said the earliest nesting site was built in mid June.
"We've now identified four turtle egg nests. The earliest batch of eggs was laid on June 13. The incubation period typically lasts 45 to 50 days," said Zhong Jiangtao, a patrol officer of Binhai Community in Xisha District, Sansha City.
To protect the turtle eggs, the conservationists have cordoned off the nesting areas with warning lines and signs to prevent accidental trampling. Meanwhile, they've intensified patrols around the nesting sites and used monitoring equipment to keep track of sea turtles coming ashore and their hatching progress.
"Sea turtles are quite picky in choosing nesting environments. We clean up the beach and remove marine debris almost daily, which will help attract sea turtles. We hope these conservation efforts will lead to an increase of nesting sea turtles on the Yongxing Island." said Feng Ming, a local community worker.
After a ten-year hiatus, the sands of Yongxing Island once again bear the tracks of nesting green sea turtles. And early last month, Zhaoshu Island, another island of the Xisha Islands, reported surge in turtle breeding activity, signaling measurable habitat expansion for green sea turtles across the big island groups.
"We haven't recorded any turtle nesting on Yongxing Island for nearly a decade. These green sea turtles' return proves our island's ecological conditions are improving," said Yu Yangfei, a staff member at the marine reserve management bureau of Sansha City.
There are seven extant species of sea turtles in the world, five of which have been found in Chinese waters.
The Xisha Islands constitute China's largest green sea turtle nesting ground. Data from this country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs shows annually growing numbers of nesting green sea turtles.
As of July 6 this year, 81 sea turtle nests have been found in monitored areas of the Xisha waters - 30 more than the same period last year.
South China Sea island welcomes back nesting sea turtle after decade-long disappearance
From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.
At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.
Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.
"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.
"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.
Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.
According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.
Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.
Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.
At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.
"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.
At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.
"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.
Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction
