Abstract:Wetland provides various ecological functions, and wetland protection and restoration directly affect national security, sustainability of economy and society, as well as human well-being. This study has systematically summarized the current status of wetland resource and the achievement of wetland protection in China, and the conclusions will provide scientific support for the policy making in wetland protection and management. The area of wetland in China was 41.2×10⁴ km² based on remote sensing monitoring in 2020, which lead the first in Asia. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the area of wetland has showed a recovery trend, the function in ensuring water security has enhanced, remarkable success has achieved in wetland biodiversity protection, a great potential in carbon sink function has been observed, the rational use of wetland has been continuously innovated, and the protection system is gradually completed, and the restoration system is formed. For the purposes of developing the wetland protection under current new period, we propose to implement strategic action of wetland protection to meet the national demand, to improve the basic theory and discipline system of wetland science, to innovate and improve the wetland protection and restoration technologies as well as the engineering measures, and to strengthen the building of highland of talent in wetland research and the think-tanks of wetland management.