SANSHA - China's southernmost island city of Sansha in Hainan province has successfully planted 100,000 coral seedlings in the area of the Xisha Islands, reaching a significant milestone in its ongoing coral restoration project.

According to Sansha's marine protected areas administration, the largest artificial coral breeding base around the Xisha Islands has been established and has cultivated 143,000 coral seedlings to date.

Coral reefs -- often referred to as the rainforests of the ocean -- play a critical role in maintaining marine biodiversity, and in ensuring the ecological security of islands. Sansha launched its restoration project in 2023 to address the issue of coral bleaching caused by global warming.

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Innovative "tree-type coral nursery" technology has been adopted, significantly improving local coral growth rates and survival. The administration's director, Li Yupei, told Xinhua that the coral seedlings can grow by up to 15 centimeters annually, and that rare marine species such as sea turtles and giant clams have become more abundant in the restoration area.