China's Changshan Archipelago migratory bird sanctuary inscribed on World Natural Heritage list

BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- On Monday, the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, the Republic of Korea, approved the boundary modification of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, officially incorporating the Changshan Archipelago into the World Heritage list.

This marks another expansion of the World Natural Heritage site following its previous expansion in 2024, further improving the integrity of the migratory bird sanctuaries series, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

The Changshan Archipelago in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, sits on the only sea route of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, and it serves as a critical energy supply stop for tens of millions of migratory birds during their cross-Bohai Sea migration.

The newly added heritage section covers more than 4,900 hectares. The region is rich in biological resources, with over 140 recorded bird species.

At the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2019, the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I) was inscribed on the list. At the 46th session in New Delhi, India, in 2024, UNESCO inscribed Phase II of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, expanding the existing site to include five additional protected areas.