China's State Council on Wednesday approved the establishment of the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve.

In line with the regulations on nature reserves, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration released details on the reserve's area, boundaries and functional zoning.

Located in Sansha City, south China's Hainan Province, the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve covers 3,523.67 hectares. It includes a core zone of 1,242.55 hectares and an experimental zone of 2,281.12 hectares, with the primary focus on protecting coral reef ecosystems.

(Cover: A view of the territorial waters off China's Huangyan Dao and surrounding areas, Sansha, Hainan Province, south China, June 30, 2025. /VCG)