Nearly 100 sea turtle nests found in Sansha waters

Nearly 100 nests of sea turtles, an animal under national first-class protection, have been found in the waters of Sansha City, south China's Hainan Province, since the beginning of the year.

In 2007, the Chinese government officially established Sansha City on Xisha's Yongxing Island, which has jurisdiction over the islands and reefs of Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha and their adjacent waters.

At present, the sea area of Xisha has entered the peak breeding season for green sea turtles. A patrol officer recently discovered one laying eggs on Beidao Island, part of the Xisha Islands.

Beidao Island is the largest natural spawning ground for green sea turtles in China, with nearly 100 nests discovered this year.

"Now there are four nests of sea turtle eggs. The earliest batch was laid on June 13, and the incubation period for sea turtles is generally 45 to 50 days," said Zhong Jiangtao, patroller from the Xisha coastal community.

Recently, a green sea turtle spawning ground was discovered on Yongshu Reef, part of the Nansha Islands. To help green sea turtles successfully breed, Sansha City has established a scientific breeding protection system, monitoring green sea turtles around the clock.

"The number of AI cameras has increased from six to 14, covering all possible spawning sites," said Yu Yangfei, staff member at Sansha marine reserve management bureau.

In addition to AI, staff use infrared monitoring and intelligent surveillance to track sea turtle spawning in real time.

"Our research has found that the green sea turtles in the Xisha Sea Area form a new geographic population, possessing a unique genetic composition and rich genetic diversity. They serve as an essential link connecting sea turtle populations in the Pacific and Indian oceans, making their protection singularly valuable," said Jin Xinyu, staff member at Xisha Marine Environment National Observation and Research Station.

After years of protection and ecological restoration, a total of 1,734 nests with green sea turtle eggs were found in the Xisha Islands from 2017 to 2023, according to the management bureau.

Nearly 100 sea turtle nests found in Sansha waters

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday that Seoul firmly adheres to the one-China principle, in comments made ahead of his upcoming state visit to China.

The remarks were made in an interview with China Media Group (CMG). The visit is scheduled for Jan 4–7.

"The consensus reached between governments of the Republic of Korea and China when diplomatic relations were established continues to be the fundamental principle governing our relations, and its effectiveness remains steadfast. I want to clearly state that the ROK has always adhered to the one-China principle. Maintaining peace and stability in regional matters, including in Northeast Asia and concerning the Taiwan issue, holds significant importance to us," said Lee.

"The foundational relationship between the ROK and China was established on a very principled and fundamental basis from the beginning. It is clear that the ROK government has always adhered to this position and has never wavered from it. I believe that the sound development of ROK-China relations depends on both sides fully respecting each other's core interests and being mutually tolerant of each other's positions. In this context, we will, as always, uphold the one-China principle as the Taiwan issue is China's most fundamental concern," he said.

ROK president reiterates firm adherence to one-China principle