A new marine conservation initiative aimed at strengthening nearshore ecological protection and public-safety capacity along China’s coastline was launched recently in Penglai, Yantai, in East China’s Shandong province.

The “#SHINE WITH ME# MISTINE Ocean Conservation Program” was jointly launched by the Beijing Yangfan Foundation and international beauty brand MISTINE, together with MISTINE Global Sunscreen Brand Ambassador Tian Xuning. The program is designed as an integrated public-welfare model combining safety and rescue support, talent development, equipment provision, ecological restoration, and public education.

Organizers said the initiative seeks to channel broader social participation into coastal conservation by addressing both ecological and operational gaps in China’s nearshore protection efforts.

Rising pressure on coastal governance

The ocean is often described as the blue heart of the planet. Covering about 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, it is home to more than 200,000 known marine species and serves as one of the core pillars sustaining global ecological balance. China has nearly 3 million square kilometers of sea area and a coastline stretching about 18,000 kilometers. From the tidal wetlands of Bohai Bay to the coral reefs of the South China Sea, the country’s diverse marine ecosystems not only provide habitats for countless forms of life, but also generate sustained momentum for the economic development of coastal regions.

In recent years, as China’s coastal tourism industry has expanded rapidly, key seaside destinations such as Penglai in Shandong—often celebrated as a “fairyland on earth”—have seen a steady rise in visitor numbers. This, in turn, has led to explosive growth in marine leisure activities, with surfing, sea fishing, nearshore diving and recreational shore collecting becoming popular choices among tourists. Yet behind the lively coastline lies a mounting challenge: marine protection is under growing strain. At the grassroots level, many coastal scenic areas and fishing villages still face inadequate emergency-response capacity, shortages of specialized rescue equipment and a lack of trained personnel. Significant weaknesses remain in the marine emergency-response system, leaving it unable to fully meet today’s public-safety governance needs in coastal areas.

Wang Zhong, executive director of the Beijing Yangfan Foundation, said marine conservation cannot rely on scientific research alone. “It is equally important to strengthen frontline rescue capacity, public education and broader social mobilization,” Wang said, adding that more responsible and action-oriented companies should be encouraged to participate.

For MISTINE, the initiative extends a longer-term commitment to marine-friendly development. The brand, which has spent 38 years researching sun protection in tropical environments, and it has ranked No.1 in China’s sun care category for five consecutive years (2021–2025) and is recognized as the market leader in full-spectrum anti-photoaging protection.MISTINE has worked with Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) on coral reef restoration studies. Its marine-friendly sunscreen products reflect what the company describes as a consistent philosophy linking product development with public-interest action.

Supporting frontline responders

A representative of the Yantai Penglai Blue Ocean Rescue Team said the summer tourism season is also the busiest time of year for patrols, rescue operations and drills.

Team members spend long hours working under intense sunlight and exposed to constant ultraviolet radiation and sea spray, which can cause significant skin damage.

“Patrolling the coastline every day means constant exposure to UV rays and salt mist, but the needs of rescuers like us have rarely drawn public attention,” the team leader said.

Such challenges are not unique to Penglai. Along China’s vast coastline, hundreds of civilian rescue teams serve as largely unseen guardians of marine safety, carrying out nearshore emergency response and beach-cleaning work while often facing shortages of protective supplies, trained personnel and funding.

As part of the new initiative, MISTINE and Tian Xuning donated cash and supplies with a total fair value of 599,999 yuan. The program is expected to cover nine coastal rescue teams across five major sea areas in China, provide training for more than 300 local rescuers, and help protect an estimated 20 million people over the course of one year.

Among the donated materials are professional protection kits containing marine-friendly sunscreen products, intended to better support frontline rescuers working for extended periods in harsh coastal conditions.

Building a long-term protection framework

Unlike many short-term marine public-welfare campaigns, the new initiative is intended to move beyond one-off actions such as a single beach cleanup or coral-planting effort.

Organizers said the program is designed to strengthen both long-term ecological restoration mechanisms and a more standardized nearshore emergency-response network, creating a more sustainable and systematic model for marine protection.

On the safety and rescue front, the program will focus on strengthening emergency-response capabilities in China’s major coastal regions by supplying rescue teams with updated professional equipment, including rescue boats, first-aid devices, communications gear and mobile public-education rescue vehicles. The goal is to ensure that, when tourists encounter danger at sea, rescue forces can reach the scene quickly, substantially improving the efficiency and success rate of nearshore rescue operations.

In terms of talent development, the project will work with leading domestic marine rescue training institutions to provide systematic professional training for more than 300 local rescue personnel. The training will cover multiple areas, including drowning rescue at sea, marine ecological emergency response, diving rescue and emergency medical treatment. By filling gaps in grassroots rescue capacity, the initiative aims to ensure that every frontline guardian is equipped with scientific and professional rescue skills—both to protect others and to better protect themselves.

On the equipment support side, MISTINE, a brand under the Better Way Group, donate professional protective gear, including sun-protection materials, to rescue teams in different locations, providing practical and comprehensive logistical support for frontline personnel.

For ecological restoration, the initiative plans to draw on MISTINE’s years of experience with marine-friendly programs in Thailand and explore coral seedling cultivation and coral planting in selected Chinese waters. The aim is to gradually restore damaged nearshore coral reef ecosystems and rebuild habitats for marine life. The program will also organize regular beach-cleaning activities to mobilize volunteers to remove marine debris and reduce the harm caused by plastic pollution.

In the area of public education, the project will use short videos, offline public exhibitions, mobile outreach vehicles and other diversified formats to promote awareness of marine ecological protection, explain the significance of marine-friendly products, and improve public understanding of ocean stewardship. It seeks to help more people recognize that small everyday actions—such as choosing a marine-friendly sunscreen, taking away one’s own beach waste, or refraining from picking coral—can all contribute to marine conservation and help build a stronger social foundation for shared governance.

The launch of this marine conservation public-welfare initiative also represents an active effort by the foundation to expand cross-sector collaboration and bring in corporate resources to support ocean protection. For the brand, the initiative also marks what it describes as a natural extension of its long-term marine engagement — from coral restoration in Thai waters to broader efforts to protect China’s coastline.

Amid the sea breeze of Penglai—long known as a “fairyland on earth”—the Beijing Yangfan Charity Foundation, together with MISTINE, a brand under the Better Way Group, has sent a clear message to society through this conservation initiative: the long-term protection of the ocean requires coordinated efforts by public-welfare organizations, businesses and the public alike. By taking this marine conservation program as a starting point, the partners hope to continue integrating social resources and building a more professional and sustainable public-interest platform for ocean protection.

At the launch ceremony, Tian Xuning donated supplies and recorded a public-service appeal encouraging wider public participation. “I’m very glad to launch and take part in this ocean conservation initiative together with MISTINE, and to contribute in my own way to protecting our beautiful blue seas,” Tian said. “The ocean gives us so much, and it also needs our care. Even small acts of kindness can come together to light up the whole sea. I hope more people will join us in protecting these blue waters.”

Organizers said China’s marine conservation efforts have entered a new stage in which government departments, public-interest organizations, businesses and the public all have important roles to play. They said only through such multi-stakeholder collaboration can nearshore ecosystems be protected in a more sustained and effective way.

The initiative is supported by the Civil Affairs Bureau of Penglai district, the Communist Youth League Committee of Penglai district, and the Social Work Department of the CPC Penglai District Committee in Yantai.

Media Contact
Company Name: Beijing Yangfan Foundation
Contact Person: Tom Zhao
Email: Send Email
Phone: +86 17610632566
City: Yantai
State: Shandong
Country: China
Website: https://www.yangfangongyi.com