China sees record-high water quality in offshore sea

(ECNS) -- China's marine environment saw significant improvement in 2023, with 85 percent of nearshore waters rated as good quality, according to official statistics.

This marks a record high and represents the sixth consecutive year of improvement, with an increase of 13.7 percentage points compared to 2018.

Since 2021, 24 typical marine ecosystems have shed their "unhealthy" status. These ecosystems include estuaries, bays, tidal flat wetlands, coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds.

According to some marine experts, technological innovation and breakthroughs are driving the advanced protection of marine ecosystems and promoting high-quality economic development.

For instance, Shandong has established a provincial marine ecological environmental monitoring and protection center in Yantai City, along with seven branch centers in coastal cities, to provide targeted and scientific support for pollution control.

Moreover, China protects its waters with the strictest systems and the most stringent legal measures. Since its promulgation in 1982, the Marine Environment Protection Law has been amended three times and revised twice.

As early as 2013, the All-China Environment Federation filed a public interest lawsuit to protect mangroves, seeking judicial support for the preservation of marine ecosystems.