To mark Chinese Sturgeon Protection Day, around 550,000 Chinese sturgeons were released into Jingzhou and Yichang sections of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province, as well as in Shanghai, on Saturday.
Nicknamed "aquatic pandas," Chinese sturgeons have existed for over 140 million years. However, the natural population of the species in the Yangtze plummeted in the late 20th century due to intrusive human activities.
The fish is primarily protected through artificial breeding followed by release into the natural environment. In recent years, China has made significant conservation efforts, including expanding artificial breeding and release and fostering natural breeding of the species.
The annual releases of captive-bred Chinese sturgeons have exceeded 1 million for two consecutive years since 2024, effectively replenishing wild populations of the endangered species.
550,000 Chinese sturgeons released into Yangtze River
Pakistan's sense of global responsibility and concern over the impact of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel on the world order compel it to mediate between the warring parties, Javed Iqbal, president of the Pakistani National Institute of Maritime Affairs, said on Friday.
Pakistan is a key stakeholder in maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, and because conflicts in one region can ripple across the world, the country sees mediation as essential to safeguarding its interests and promoting broader regional stability, Iqbal, who is also a senior defense analyst, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN).
"We are a part of not only the global community of nations, but also part of Global South. We are sitting at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. We are an important stakeholder in ensuring maritime security in the region, because it's an interconnected world. If there is a threat, it affects everybody. And we have witnessed in the last four weeks that how the oil prices, gas prices have impacted the entire world. The food security crisis is brewing. Prices of the commodities are going up. So Pakistan had to play this role, not only for its own interest, but also in the interest of the global community," he said.
Iqbal also noted that Pakistan is committed to not only ending the conflict, but also addressing its broader consequences, as the Middle East conflict continues to reshape the global order.
"And I think as a responsible nation, we are not only looking at the war termination, but we are also looking at the second order and the third order effects, the post war also, because it's a major, cataclysmic event. I think it will transform the world order. It will reset the global balance of power. It will reset the security order in the Middle East. So it's a very, very important event. And being a critical stakeholder, in the interest of the global security, global peace, and development, Pakistan is playing its due role and acting as a conveyor of the messages between the United States and Iran," he said.
Pakistan has been relaying messages between Iran and the United States, helping bring an end to the conflict. The country will host a quadrilateral meeting of foreign ministers including Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss tensions in the Middle East, according to Pakistan's state media.
Pakistan affirms responsibility to mediate as Middle East conflict reshapes global order: analyst
