Assessment shows South China Sea islands, reefs in good condition

The overall ecological conditions of nine islands and reefs surveyed in the South China Sea are generally good but displayed marked differences, according to a bulletin released by the South China Sea Bureau of the Ministry of Natural Resources Friday.

The document provides the first overall evaluation of the ecological conditions of the country's South China Sea islands and reefs, laying a foundation for their protection and management.

The ecological conditions of the Xisha Islands are showing positive signs of recovery, while Huangyan Dao in the Zhongsha Islands features a unique and diverse ecosystem, the bulletin said.

A total of 135 species of reef-building corals have been recorded at Huangyan Dao, with live coral coverage in its protected area reaching 38.8%.

The Nansha Islands and reefs are generally in good ecological condition, but some individual reefs have suffered severe ecosystem degradation, it noted.

At Tiexian Jiao, live coral coverage has fallen by nearly 70% from 2016 levels amid outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, tropical cyclones and human activities, particularly the Philippines' persistent and illegal construction on Zhongye Dao.

Meanwhile, persistent discharge from a foreign military vessel illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao, along with accumulated waste and fishing nets, has sharply reduced live coral coverage there and hindered coral growth and recovery.

A separate bulletin highlighted China's efforts to restore marine ecosystems in the South China Sea.

From 2021 to 2025, 262 marine ecological restoration projects were carried out, with total investments exceeding 21.3 billion yuan (about $3.14 billion).

By the end of 2025, about 2.66 million hectares in the South China Sea had been designated as marine ecological conservation redline areas, while marine nature reserves covered about 7 million hectares.