BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China will provide more funds to support the coastal ecological protection and restoration.

Local departments in charge of natural resources in coastal areas can apply for the funding, which will give priority to projects with investment no less than 200 million yuan (about 28.29 million U.S. dollars), said a circular issued by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

This year, the funds will focus on the protection and restoration of mangrove forests, the stability of the mangrove ecosystem and the protection of islands and surrounding waters, the circular said.

All localities should establish and improve a long-term mechanism for marine ecological protection and restoration, combining reclamation control, marine ecological restoration, marine disaster prevention and mitigation, and land ecological restoration, the circular said.