China's mangrove forests expand in coverage: minister

BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- China's mangrove forest coverage has reached about 29,200 hectares, an increase of some 7,200 hectares from the beginning of the century, Minister of Natural Resources Wang Guanghua said on Tuesday.

The progress came from China's dedication to ecological protection and restoration, Wang said at a press conference.

To safeguard ecological security, China has implemented ecological protection red lines nationwide to identify crucial ecological zones and enforce strict protection.

The country has completed the drawing of ecological protection red lines, and the actual land and sea areas under such protection now total 3.19 million square kilometers, the minister said.

The red lines cover areas that are critical in environmental function, ecologically sensitive and vulnerable, and which are vital for biodiversity.