China has effectively improved its marine environment by strengthening land-sea coordination and increasing river-sea connectivity, according to a white paper issued on Thursday by China's State Council Information Office.

China's offshore water quality has improved, with the proportion of sea areas with good to excellent water quality in 2023 up 21.3 percentage points from 2012, according to the white paper titled "Marine Eco-Environmental Protection in China."

The country has established 352 marine protected areas and 150,000 square kilometers of red lines across several types of ecosystems. About half of 1,682 key tasks and construction projects had been completed by the end of 2023.

"Chart of the Day" takes a deep dive into the marked improvement in China's marine environment.