China on Wednesday approved the establishment of the Huangyan Dao national nature reserve, as part of its efforts to safeguard the South China Sea's marine ecosystem.
Located in Sansha City, Hainan Province, the Huangyan Dao national nature reserve spans 3,523.67 hectares and centers on protecting the region's fragile coral reef ecosystem, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
A China Global Television Network (CGTN) reporter recently joined a Chinese research team at sea to observe the marine ecosystem surrounding Huangyan Dao and document the story of this vast, living ocean.
Huangyan Dao has long been a traditional fishing ground and a safe harbor for Chinese fishermen. Today, it is also recognized as a cradle of marine biodiversity. To understand this blue sanctuary, scientists dove beneath the waves, embracing the ocean firsthand.
"It really felt like stepping into another universe or entering a new dimension. For me, it was as extraordinary as space travel," said Yan Yu, a member of the expedition team.
Beneath the surface, they were not alone. With little human interference there, schools of fish swam past, alongside rare and precious species.
"We observed a wide variety of giant clam species, including rare ones, in the sea area we surveyed this time. Their growth conditions are exceptionally healthy," said Yang Jing, chief scientist of the expedition team.
Protecting this delicate ecosystem has become a national priority. The establishment of the nature reserve will provide an important institutional guarantee for the conservation of the diversity, stability and sustainability of Huangyan Dao's natural ecosystem in the South China Sea.
Surveys such as this one are key to safeguarding the South China Sea's environmental future.
"[These surveys] give us a clear picture of the current situation of the ecological environment in the South China Sea, laying a solid foundation for better ecological and environmental protection in the future," said Lu Junqiang, captain of the expedition team.
As a major marine country, China has always attached great importance to the protection of the marine ecological environment and biodiversity. The country has strengthened top-level design and improved its legal and institutional frameworks to advance marine eco-environmental protection.
Among its vast environmental protection efforts, China had established more than 350 marine protected areas by 2024, including 14 national maritime nature reserves. Today, the number of recorded marine species in China had reached 28,000, accounting for about 11 percent of the global total.
China steps up environmental research, protection efforts in South China Sea
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
