NANJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The World Coastal Forum (WCF) opened on Monday in Yancheng, east China's Jiangsu Province, gathering nearly 1,000 participants from 34 countries to offer their views on balancing wetland protection and economic development.

The three-day event incorporates a series of forums, side events and workshops covering issues such as addressing challenges in coastal wetland conservation, ensuring sustainable development in coastal regions, and raising awareness in coastal ecosystem conservation.

The World Coastal Forum Partnership Initiative was also announced at the opening ceremony, which aims to push for tighter global cooperation in wetland conservation.

Boasting a coastline of 582 km and 769,700 hectares of wetlands, Yancheng is a vital stopping point for millions of migratory birds during their migration along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway route.

Due to its significance in maintaining ecosystem stability, the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf (Phase I) in Yancheng was inscribed on the World Heritage List as a natural site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in 2019.

Co-organized by the Jiangsu provincial government, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the WCF aims to encourage and support a multi-stakeholder approach to strengthen protection, conservation management and restoration of the world's coastal ecosystems for the long-term benefit of people and biodiversity. Enditem

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