China, with a total wetland area of 53.6 million hectares, ranks first in Asia and fourth in the world, official data showed.
The National Forestry and Grassland Administration released the statistics at the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference held in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
China has 57 wetlands that are of international importance, 602 wetland nature reserves and 898 national wetland parks, according to the administration.
In the country's wetland ecosystem, there are 4,220 species of plant and 2,312 species of animals, with the wetland protection rate reaching 49 percent, the statistics showed.
Black-necked cranes and other birds rest at the Napahai Nature Reserve in Shangri-La, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 11, 2018.
Black-necked cranes and other birds rest at the Napahai Nature Reserve in Shangri-La, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 11, 2018.
Bar-headed geese fly over Lhalu Wetland in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Nov. 23, 2017.
Bar-headed geese fly over Lhalu Wetland in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Nov. 23, 2017.
Photo taken on July 8, 2018 shows egrets flying over the Poyang Lake Wetland in east China's Jiangxi Province.
Photo taken on July 8, 2018 shows egrets flying over the Poyang Lake Wetland in east China's Jiangxi Province.
Photo taken on Jan. 25, 2018 shows a herd of milu deer at a wetland in Yancheng, east China's Jiangsu Province.
Photo taken on Jan. 25, 2018 shows a herd of milu deer at a wetland in Yancheng, east China's Jiangsu Province.
White cranes fly over the Momoge Wetland in Baicheng, northeast China's Jilin Province, April 3, 2018.
White cranes fly over the Momoge Wetland in Baicheng, northeast China's Jilin Province, April 3, 2018.
Aerial photo taken on Jan. 28, 2018 shows winter scenery of the Xixi Wetland in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.
Aerial photo taken on Jan. 28, 2018 shows winter scenery of the Xixi Wetland in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.
Aerial photo taken on July 1, 2017 shows a wetland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Aerial photo taken on July 1, 2017 shows a wetland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2018 shows swans at the Yellow River wetland in Sanmenxia City, central China's Henan Province.
Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2018 shows swans at the Yellow River wetland in Sanmenxia City, central China's Henan Province.
Photo taken on June 11, 2018 shows red-crowned cranes at a national wetland park in Zhangye, northwest China's Gansu Province.
Photo taken on June 11, 2018 shows red-crowned cranes at a national wetland park in Zhangye, northwest China's Gansu Province.
A ruddy shelduck and a flock of bar-headed geese fly over a wetland in Nyima County of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2017.
A ruddy shelduck and a flock of bar-headed geese fly over a wetland in Nyima County of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2017.
With increased policy support and financial investment, China has achieved remarkable results in wetland protection, said Li Chunliang, deputy director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
According to Li, a total of 8.15 billion yuan (1.23 billion US dollars) of central investment was arranged from 2013 to 2017, covering more than 1,500 wetland protection and restoration projects. Over 233,333 hectares of wetland was restored, with 51,000 hectares of farmland converted into wetlands.
China has completed the second national survey of wetland resource, with 11 provinces listing wetlands of provincial-level importance and announcing 445 provincial-level important wetlands, Li said.
China will step up efforts in strengthening the protection and restoration of wetlands as the focus of ecological civilization construction and strive to see its wetland area of no less than 53.3 million hectares with a wetland protection rate of 50 percent by 2020, according to Li.
By 2035, the quality of China's wetland ecosystem will be significantly improved, Li added.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency
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