BEIJING -- China has consistently strengthened the ecological conservation and restoration of its wetlands in recent years, with the country's total wetland area now ranking first in Asia and fourth in the world, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said on Monday.

Monday, notably, marks World Wetlands Day. As one of the Earth's major ecosystems, wetlands possess irreplaceable ecological, social, economic and cultural value.

In recent years, China has bolstered its legal safeguards for wetland protection, and improved its governance system by enacting relevant laws and regulations. To date, 21 provincial-level regions have formulated or revised their local wetland protection regulations.

China has established and continues to refine a tiered wetland management system. It has designated 82 sites as wetlands of international importance and identified 80 sites as wetlands of national importance, along with 1,208 important provincial-level wetlands, according to the administration.

The country is home to 22 accredited international wetland cities, the highest number globally. Additionally, 903 national wetland parks have been established, with approximately 90 percent offering free admission to the public, attracting around 320 million visitors annually.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), China will further improve its legal and regulatory framework regarding wetlands, strengthen monitoring and early warning systems for wetland protection, and accelerate the establishment of mechanisms for realizing the value of wetland ecological products, the administration said.