China rolls out management measures on Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve

Management measures for the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve were jointly issued on Saturday by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the China Coast Guard and the Hainan Provincial Government.

Located in Sansha City of south China's Hainan Province, the reserve covering an area of 3,523.67 hectares.

Situated in Zhongsha Qundao, Huangyan Dao represents a typical coral atoll. Its shape approximates an isosceles right triangle.

The Huangyan Dao coral reefs are relatively isolated and continuously healthy in the central South China Sea, with scleractinian coral communities demonstrating strong resistance and tolerance to rising sea temperatures, making them one of the globally representative examples of this type of natural ecosystem.

It harbors rich biodiversity. A 2024 survey recorded more than 100 reef-building scleractinian coral species. All reef-building scleractinian corals in Huangyan Dao are listed as protected wildlife in China. Among them, nearly half of the coral species are categorized as threatened or vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Located far from a landmass and subject to minimal human disturbance, the coral reef ecosystem of Huangyan Dao remains largely in an undisturbed, natural state.

The establishment of a nature reserve in Sept 2025 constitutes a crucial component of China's protected area classification system, and the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve exemplifies China's strong commitment to enhancing the protection of typical ecosystems like coral reefs.

The management measures consist of 16 articles in total, covering key areas including governance mechanisms, conservation and protection measures, and legal responsibilities.

The Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve will be subject to strict protection. Without approval, activities such as fishing, mining, and the excavation of coral, coral reefs, and tridacna, as well as other activities that damage rare marine species and natural ecosystems, are prohibited. Those who violate the relevant provisions of the management measures will be held legally responsible.

The launch of the measures is an important guarantee for maintaining the diversity, stability and sustainability of Huangyan Dao's ecosystem.

Relevant departments will earnestly implement the management measures, strictly fulfill responsibilities for ecological and environmental protection, establish and improve a regularized early-warning and monitoring mechanism, and continuously carry out marine resource monitoring and assessment as well as ecological protection and restoration, so as to build and manage the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve to high standards.

China rolls out management measures on Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve

China's Ministry of Commerce expressed strong condemnation and resolute opposition on Saturday against the United States' announcement of adding over 40 Chinese entities to the so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List."

The U.S. actions lack a factual basis, as it continues to abuse the so-called "human rights" and "forced labor" pretexts to impose unilateral sanctions on Chinese enterprises in accordance with its domestic laws, a spokesperson for the ministry said, adding that such move is typical economic coercion.

The U.S. measures have seriously undermined the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant Chinese enterprises and severely disrupted the stability of global industrial and supply chains, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson specifically noted that on July 30, Chinese and U.S. economic and trade lead officials held a video call, during which the two sides had candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges on maintaining the stability of bilateral economic and trade relations.

However, just one day later, the U.S. introduced these malicious measures that harm China's interests, seriously departing from the consensus reached between the two heads of state, the spokesperson added.

China has always opposed forced labor. At present, Xinjiang enjoys social stability, economic prosperity and a peaceful life for its people, with no so-called "forced labor" in any form whatsoever, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson urged the U.S. to immediately stop its attacks and smears against Xinjiang, stop manipulating the so-called "forced labor" issue, and stop wantonly suppressing Chinese companies.

China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises, the spokesperson said.

China opposes U.S. suppression of Chinese firms over so-called "forced labor prevention"