China on Wednesday approved the establishment of the Huangyan Dao national nature reserve, as part of its efforts to safeguard the South China Sea's marine ecosystem. Located in Sansha City, Hainan Province, the Huangyan Dao national nature reserve spans 3,523.67 hectares and centers on protecting the region's fragile coral reef ecosystem, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. A China Global Television Network (CGTN) reporter recently joined a Chinese research team at sea to observe the marine ecosystem surrounding Huangyan Dao and document the story of this vast, living ocean. Huangyan Dao has long been a traditional fishing ground and a safe harbor for Chinese fishermen. Today, it is also recognized as a cradle of marine biodiversity. To understand this blue sanctuary, scientists dove beneath the waves, embracing the ocean firsthand. Beneath the surface, they were not alone. With little human interference there, schools of fish swam past, alongside rare and precious species. Protecting this delicate ecosystem has become a national priority. The establishment of the nature reserve will provide an important institutional guarantee for the conservation of the diversity, stability and sustainability of Huangyan Dao's natural ecosystem in the South China Sea. Surveys such as this one are key to safeguarding the South China Sea's environmental future. As a major marine country, China has always attached great importance to the protection of the marine ecological environment and biodiversity. The country has strengthened top-level design and improved its legal and institutional frameworks to advance marine eco-environmental protection. Among its vast environmental protection efforts, China had established more than 350 marine protected areas by 2024, including 14 national maritime nature reserves. Today, the number of recorded marine species in China had reached 28,000, accounting for about 11 percent of the global total. Shotlist: South China Sea, China - Recent: 1. Aerial shots of Huangyan Dao, surrounding waters; 2. Various of underwater scene; 3. Expedition team member diving into water; 4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yan Yu, expedition team member (starting with shot 3): "It really felt like stepping into another universe or entering a new dimension. For me, it was as extraordinary as space travel."; 5. Aerial shot of Huangyan Dao, surrounding waters, boat sailing; 6. Expedition team member of boat, Chinese national flag; 7. Aerial shot of Huangyan Dao, surrounding waters; 8. Various of underwater scene; 9. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yang Jing, chief scientist, expedition team (starting with shot 8/ending wiht shot 10): "We observed a wide variety of giant clam species, including rare ones, in the sea area we surveyed this time. Their growth conditions are exceptionally healthy."; 10. Underwater scene; 11. Aerial shots of Huangyan Dao, surrounding waters, boat sailing; 12. Various of sampling in progress; 13. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lu Junqiang, captain, expedition team (ending with shot 14): "[These surveys] give us a clear picture of the current situation of the ecological environment in the South China Sea, laying a solid foundation for better ecological and environmental protection in the future."; 14. Various of scientists working in laboratory; 15. Aerial shots of Huangyan Dao, surrounding waters, boat sailing. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]