China will by 2010 place 60% of its natural wetlands under solid protection in a form of nature conservation zone, said ZHOU Shengxian, Director of Chinese State Forestry Administyation on Feb. 3, 2005. He added that by 2020 70% or more of China?痵 wetlands will enjoy a same form of protection, in an attempt to establish a well-functioned wetland protection network, making the wetland protection on a sound development track.

Recent years have witnessed a range of measures and policies adopted to enhance the protection of the nation?痵 wetlands, including China Wetland Protection Action Plan, National Wetland Protection Projects, a national wetland resources survey, wetland protection strategy studies, and construction of wetland conservation zones. The efforts have made 18 million hectares of wetlands, or 40% of the nation?痵 wetland resources, be protected in a form of nature conservation zone. The Secretariat for the Convention on Wetlands has recently issued certificates to recognize nine more China?痵 wetlands as the wetlands of international importance, which adds China?痵 total number of the wetlands under the protection of international wetland network to 30.