Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

THE Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration have recently released measures supporting Shenzhen’s comprehensive reforms in the natural resources sector, with the construction and utilization of the International Mangrove Center (IMC) as the top priority task. This was announced during a news conference held by the city government Thursday in Shenzhen.

According to Bao Daming, acting secretary-general of the Interim Secretariat of the IMC, with the recent joining of Zimbabwe and Sudan, the number of countries intending to join the IMC has reached 20.

Shenzhen has become the third city in China, after Beijing and Shanghai, to host the headquarters of an intergovernmental international organization. The city will provide comprehensive support in personnel, facilities, funding, and international cooperation to lay a solid foundation for the successful building of the IMC. The inaugural council meeting will be held soon, according to Bao.

Bao added that the center will attract more countries and international institutions to join the center, advance international initiatives for mangrove conservation and restoration, and build a global platform for education and awareness on mangroves. The center also strives to position Shenzhen as a global hub for funding, knowledge, and action coordination in mangrove wetland conservation.

The measures include 20 reforms in five areas to improve natural ecosystems, land use, marine economic zones, digital infrastructure, and regional cooperation.

The goal is to speed up spatial governance, support green and low‑carbon growth, use resources more efficiently, apply intelligent technologies, boost safety, and strengthen coordination.

In addition to the IMC, other support for Shenzhen includes establishing a key lab for geological safety and risk prevention in territorial spaces, undertaking major sci-tech projects in marine fields, developing an international maritime arbitration center, and strengthening cooperation with Hong Kong to build a world-class twin-city metropolitan area.