1 00:00:06,106 --> 00:00:09,408 From the eastern end of the Great Wall, 2 00:00:09,476 --> 00:00:14,279 China's coast spans 14,500 kilometres 3 00:00:14,347 --> 00:00:17,282 and more than 5,000 years of history. 4 00:00:20,053 --> 00:00:22,621 This is the area which shows the greatest contrast 5 00:00:22,689 --> 00:00:26,225 between China's past and its future. 6 00:00:37,370 --> 00:00:39,905 Today China's eastern seaboard 7 00:00:39,973 --> 00:00:42,641 is home to 700 million people, 8 00:00:43,309 --> 00:00:47,312 packed into some of the most dazzling hi-tech cities on earth. 9 00:00:51,084 --> 00:00:55,754 Yet these crowded shores remain hugely important for a wealth of wildlife. 10 00:01:02,362 --> 00:01:07,666 Now, as ancient traditions mingle with new aspirations, 11 00:01:07,734 --> 00:01:13,038 is there any room at all for wildlife on China's crowded shores? 12 00:01:52,679 --> 00:01:56,115 In northern China's Zhalong Nature Reserve, 13 00:01:56,182 --> 00:02:00,786 a pair of red-crowned cranes have staked out their nesting territory 14 00:02:00,854 --> 00:02:04,089 in the stubble of a commercially managed reed bed. 15 00:02:06,993 --> 00:02:09,628 For centuries, cranes have been revered in China 16 00:02:09,696 --> 00:02:12,297 as symbols of longevity. 17 00:02:12,365 --> 00:02:15,868 Their statues were placed next to the Emperor's throne. 18 00:02:23,309 --> 00:02:25,911 The cranes have cause to celebrate. 19 00:02:27,413 --> 00:02:31,183 This chick is a sign of hope in difficult times. 20 00:02:32,452 --> 00:02:36,522 Red-crowned cranes are one of the world's most endangered species. 21 00:02:38,424 --> 00:02:40,192 Over the last century, 22 00:02:40,260 --> 00:02:44,129 China has lost nearly half of its coastal wetlands 23 00:02:44,197 --> 00:02:49,067 and most of what remains is managed for the benefit of people, not wildlife. 24 00:02:51,604 --> 00:02:52,938 A few months from now, 25 00:02:53,006 --> 00:02:56,875 this chick and its parents will face a long migration south 26 00:02:56,943 --> 00:02:59,478 to escape the harsh northern winter. 27 00:03:04,684 --> 00:03:06,752 Their route will take them along a coast 28 00:03:06,819 --> 00:03:10,622 which has been greatly affected by human activity. 29 00:03:12,992 --> 00:03:15,260 Along their journey, the cranes will be joined 30 00:03:15,328 --> 00:03:18,163 by many thousands of other migrating birds. 31 00:03:21,234 --> 00:03:24,803 All heading south across the Bohai Gulf 32 00:03:24,871 --> 00:03:28,840 and along the shores of the Yellow and East China Seas, 33 00:03:28,908 --> 00:03:32,411 some even reaching as far as the South China Sea 34 00:03:32,478 --> 00:03:35,080 in search of a safe winter haven. 35 00:03:40,687 --> 00:03:45,924 The annual bird migration has been going on for thousands of years. 36 00:03:45,992 --> 00:03:49,494 Here at Mount Jinping on China's northeast coast, 37 00:03:49,562 --> 00:03:51,063 there is surprising evidence 38 00:03:51,130 --> 00:03:54,099 that people have lived here almost as long. 39 00:04:02,208 --> 00:04:03,809 Seven thousand years ago, 40 00:04:03,876 --> 00:04:08,013 members of the Shao Hao tribe carved magical symbols 41 00:04:08,081 --> 00:04:11,550 representing significant elements of their daily lives. 42 00:04:17,724 --> 00:04:22,828 The petroglyphs show wheat sheaves connected by lines to human figures, 43 00:04:22,895 --> 00:04:26,164 the first known recordings of cultivation in China. 44 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:38,110 Familiar with the spectacle of yearly bird migrations, 45 00:04:38,177 --> 00:04:42,381 the Shao Hao people chose a symbol of a bird as their totem. 46 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,922 Mount Jinping lies near the Shandong peninsula, 47 00:04:50,990 --> 00:04:54,593 an important wintering site for migrant birds, 48 00:04:54,661 --> 00:04:58,530 and even today there are still communities along this coastline 49 00:04:58,598 --> 00:05:02,167 who retain a special affinity with their local birdlife. 50 00:05:11,577 --> 00:05:13,011 Yandun Jiao village, 51 00:05:13,079 --> 00:05:15,380 on the north-eastern shore of the peninsula, 52 00:05:15,448 --> 00:05:18,984 is famous for its traditional seaweed-thatched cottages. 53 00:05:25,058 --> 00:05:27,426 On a chilly morning in early spring, 54 00:05:27,493 --> 00:05:30,829 Mr and Mrs Qu venture out at first light 55 00:05:30,897 --> 00:05:35,634 armed with the traditional seaside accessories of bucket and spade. 56 00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:48,613 As the Qus head down into the harbour, 57 00:05:48,681 --> 00:05:50,182 a flock of whooper swans, 58 00:05:50,249 --> 00:05:53,452 known affectionately here as "winter angels", 59 00:05:53,519 --> 00:05:55,554 are waking out in the bay. 60 00:06:02,362 --> 00:06:04,996 The Qus and their neighbours search for tube holes 61 00:06:05,064 --> 00:06:07,265 in the mud at low tide, 62 00:06:07,333 --> 00:06:10,869 the sign of cockles and razor shells hidden deep below. 63 00:06:21,714 --> 00:06:25,417 While gathering shellfish is a popular pastime, 64 00:06:25,485 --> 00:06:29,588 the main business of Yandun Jiao happens further out at sea. 65 00:06:37,964 --> 00:06:41,400 As the boats set out, with Mr Qu on board, 66 00:06:41,467 --> 00:06:44,102 the swans set a parallel course. 67 00:07:11,864 --> 00:07:15,300 The whole of the bay is a gigantic seaweed farm. 68 00:07:16,569 --> 00:07:19,971 The men work all day cleaning and tending the kelp fronds 69 00:07:20,039 --> 00:07:23,708 that are grown on ropes linked to a vast armada of buoys. 70 00:07:29,582 --> 00:07:33,485 The swans eat native seaweeds growing on the surface ropes 71 00:07:33,553 --> 00:07:36,154 rather than the valuable crop of kelp, 72 00:07:36,222 --> 00:07:39,291 so they do no harm to the commercial operation. 73 00:07:52,672 --> 00:07:56,441 In the afternoon, as the wind picks up out at sea, 74 00:07:56,576 --> 00:07:59,211 the workers and swans return to shore. 75 00:08:12,458 --> 00:08:14,926 While the culture of seeking balance with nature 76 00:08:14,994 --> 00:08:17,429 goes back a long way in China, 77 00:08:17,497 --> 00:08:22,234 it is rare to see such harmonious relationships on China's crowded coast. 78 00:08:32,879 --> 00:08:34,546 As evening draws on, 79 00:08:34,614 --> 00:08:38,783 the Qu family prepare their evening meal of cockles, 80 00:08:38,851 --> 00:08:41,119 steamed bread and seaweed. 81 00:08:49,395 --> 00:08:53,532 Leftovers are given to the village children to feed the swans. 82 00:08:53,599 --> 00:08:55,400 It's fun for the kids and provides 83 00:08:55,468 --> 00:08:59,971 an extra energy boost for the birds as they face another cold night. 84 00:09:05,044 --> 00:09:07,746 The swans have been using this sheltered bay 85 00:09:07,813 --> 00:09:10,649 at as a winter refuge for many generations. 86 00:09:15,288 --> 00:09:19,357 As long as the tradition of respect for nature persists, 87 00:09:19,425 --> 00:09:23,695 this remarkable association between the Yandun Jiao community 88 00:09:23,763 --> 00:09:27,666 and their winter angels looks set to continue. 89 00:09:33,506 --> 00:09:37,409 Out in the Bohai Gulf, northeast of the swan village, 90 00:09:37,476 --> 00:09:42,314 a small rocky island provides a quiet resting spot for migrating birds. 91 00:09:53,793 --> 00:09:57,529 But Shedao Island has hidden dangers. 92 00:10:00,232 --> 00:10:05,837 Pallas' pit vipers trapped here 6,000 years ago by rising sea levels 93 00:10:05,905 --> 00:10:08,340 have evolved a sinister lifestyle. 94 00:10:12,011 --> 00:10:13,678 For 10 months of the year 95 00:10:13,746 --> 00:10:16,615 there is nothing substantial to eat on the island, 96 00:10:16,682 --> 00:10:21,052 so the reptiles conserve their energy by barely moving at all. 97 00:10:26,926 --> 00:10:29,594 As the sun warms their rocky home, 98 00:10:29,662 --> 00:10:32,664 the snakes climb up into the bushes and trees. 99 00:10:33,899 --> 00:10:36,401 But they aren't here to sunbathe. 100 00:10:41,974 --> 00:10:43,441 More and more vipers appear 101 00:10:43,509 --> 00:10:47,345 until virtually every perch where a bird might land 102 00:10:47,413 --> 00:10:49,314 has been booby-trapped. 103 00:10:51,651 --> 00:10:53,918 Then the waiting game begins. 104 00:10:56,656 --> 00:11:00,258 The serpents' camouflage is remarkable, 105 00:11:00,326 --> 00:11:02,927 but so are the birds' reactions, 106 00:11:02,995 --> 00:11:05,330 as this high-speed shot reveals. 107 00:11:15,007 --> 00:11:18,443 The birds will only stay on the island for a couple of weeks. 108 00:11:18,511 --> 00:11:21,613 But although the snakes have been starving for months, 109 00:11:21,681 --> 00:11:25,717 their only hope of bagging a meal is to be patient 110 00:11:25,785 --> 00:11:27,285 and sit tight. 111 00:11:46,772 --> 00:11:48,640 The slightest miscalculation 112 00:11:48,708 --> 00:11:51,710 and the snake is left with a mouthful of feathers. 113 00:11:57,183 --> 00:12:00,351 The dropped meal is tracked down mainly by smell, 114 00:12:00,419 --> 00:12:02,687 the viper using its forked tongue 115 00:12:02,755 --> 00:12:06,491 to taste the air until it is close enough to see its quarry. 116 00:12:10,296 --> 00:12:14,933 The final challenge is to swallow a meal that's twice the size of its head. 117 00:12:15,668 --> 00:12:20,638 It does so by dislocating its jaws and positioning its prey 118 00:12:20,706 --> 00:12:23,508 so the beak is pointing backwards. 119 00:12:30,816 --> 00:12:34,085 For the reptiles, this time of plenty is all too brief. 120 00:12:34,153 --> 00:12:36,387 In a couple of weeks, the migration will be over 121 00:12:36,455 --> 00:12:39,257 and the birds will have moved on. 122 00:12:39,325 --> 00:12:43,328 This could be the snake's last meal for six months. 123 00:12:46,532 --> 00:12:47,999 But it isn't just islands 124 00:12:48,067 --> 00:12:51,236 that experience cycles of feast and famine. 125 00:12:51,303 --> 00:12:53,505 The sea, too, has its seasons, 126 00:12:53,606 --> 00:12:57,942 a fact well known to fishing communities along the neighbouring coasts. 127 00:13:04,450 --> 00:13:05,984 In Chuwang harbour, 128 00:13:06,051 --> 00:13:10,488 the start of a new fishing season provides the excuse for a massive party. 129 00:13:14,794 --> 00:13:16,528 But for boat owner Mr Zhao, 130 00:13:16,595 --> 00:13:19,531 it's a day of prayer as well as celebration. 131 00:13:22,468 --> 00:13:27,539 Zhao hopes that by presenting gifts and showing respect to the sea goddess, 132 00:13:27,606 --> 00:13:30,675 he can help ensure a prosperous and safe year ahead 133 00:13:30,743 --> 00:13:32,577 for him and his crew. 134 00:13:43,422 --> 00:13:48,193 Meanwhile, drums, firecrackers and fireworks reflect the ancient belief 135 00:13:48,260 --> 00:13:53,298 that loud noises will frighten off dangerous sea devils and bad fortune. 136 00:14:01,607 --> 00:14:06,811 Occupying centre stage is a representation of the sea dragon, 137 00:14:06,879 --> 00:14:09,447 mythical ruler of water and weather. 138 00:14:40,012 --> 00:14:41,479 In the calm of the evening, 139 00:14:41,547 --> 00:14:44,782 Mr Zhao and his family light paper boat lanterns. 140 00:14:50,956 --> 00:14:55,026 Each flickering flame carries a wish to the sea goddess, 141 00:14:55,094 --> 00:14:59,597 a tradition passed on from parents to children over countless generations. 142 00:15:15,748 --> 00:15:17,882 On China's crowded coasts, 143 00:15:17,950 --> 00:15:21,686 fishermen need to be extremely resourceful. 144 00:15:21,754 --> 00:15:24,622 Hauling in the nets is hard work, 145 00:15:24,690 --> 00:15:27,659 and so far there's not a fish in sight. 146 00:15:31,463 --> 00:15:33,097 Only jellyfish. 147 00:15:37,369 --> 00:15:39,170 Each year, millions of jellyfish 148 00:15:39,238 --> 00:15:43,007 are carried south with the currents in the Bohai Gulf. 149 00:15:44,243 --> 00:15:47,979 The ecological story behind this event is complex, 150 00:15:48,047 --> 00:15:50,381 but by no means unique to China. 151 00:15:52,217 --> 00:15:55,219 Jellyfish are fast-breeding plankton feeders. 152 00:15:56,722 --> 00:16:00,959 In recent years, human sewage and fertilisers from intensive farming 153 00:16:01,026 --> 00:16:04,128 have increased plankton blooms in the Gulf, 154 00:16:04,196 --> 00:16:06,497 providing extra jellyfish food. 155 00:16:07,766 --> 00:16:11,602 While over-fishing has reduced their enemies and competitors. 156 00:16:16,709 --> 00:16:20,478 It's a phenomenon that has become increasingly widespread 157 00:16:20,546 --> 00:16:22,347 across the world's seas. 158 00:16:23,882 --> 00:16:27,018 However, what is seen elsewhere as a problem, 159 00:16:27,086 --> 00:16:30,054 in China is perceived as an opportunity. 160 00:16:41,266 --> 00:16:42,567 Back on shore, 161 00:16:42,634 --> 00:16:46,604 mule carts transport the jellyfish to nearby warehouses 162 00:16:46,672 --> 00:16:50,842 where they will be processed and sold as food all over China. 163 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,462 Four generations tuck into a bowl of sliced jellyfish, 164 00:17:12,498 --> 00:17:15,199 the recipe for a long and healthy life. 165 00:17:28,747 --> 00:17:31,416 Leaving the Bohai Gulf behind, 166 00:17:31,483 --> 00:17:33,017 migrating cranes, 167 00:17:33,085 --> 00:17:36,654 spoonbills and ducks are joined by other birds, 168 00:17:36,722 --> 00:17:40,858 all heading south in search of a safe winter haven. 169 00:17:50,903 --> 00:17:54,672 The birds' migration route follows the coast of the Yellow Sea 170 00:17:54,740 --> 00:17:57,775 down into Jiangsu Province, 171 00:17:57,843 --> 00:18:00,178 a fertile agricultural landscape 172 00:18:00,245 --> 00:18:03,748 with some of the last remaining salt marshes in China. 173 00:18:11,757 --> 00:18:12,924 At Dafeng, 174 00:18:12,991 --> 00:18:17,562 a small salt marsh reserve is home to an animal which is lucky to be alive. 175 00:18:19,998 --> 00:18:24,268 The Chinese see these Milu as a curious composite animal, 176 00:18:24,336 --> 00:18:26,237 with a horse's head, 177 00:18:26,305 --> 00:18:27,905 cow's feet, 178 00:18:27,973 --> 00:18:29,974 a tail like a donkey 179 00:18:30,042 --> 00:18:32,176 and backwards-facing antlers. 180 00:18:36,048 --> 00:18:39,417 In the West, we know it as Père David's Deer, 181 00:18:39,485 --> 00:18:42,220 after the first European to describe it. 182 00:18:48,026 --> 00:18:49,260 During the rut, 183 00:18:49,328 --> 00:18:53,131 stags decorate themselves with garlands of vegetation 184 00:18:53,198 --> 00:18:55,333 collected in their antlers. 185 00:19:03,842 --> 00:19:07,378 Fierce battles decide mating rights. 186 00:19:07,446 --> 00:19:10,615 The females still have last year's fawns in tow. 187 00:19:14,786 --> 00:19:17,321 They haven't been weaned by the time of the rut 188 00:19:17,389 --> 00:19:20,291 and band together in large crèches, 189 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,628 only returning to their mothers to feed. 190 00:19:23,695 --> 00:19:28,032 This unique behaviour helps to keep them clear of the aggressive males. 191 00:19:34,506 --> 00:19:38,409 Today, there are just 2,500 Milu in China, 192 00:19:40,379 --> 00:19:43,481 but it is remarkable that there are any at all. 193 00:19:45,717 --> 00:19:49,620 In the early 1900s Milu became extinct in the wild, 194 00:19:50,255 --> 00:19:54,692 but luckily, some of the Imperial herd had been sent as a gift to Europe. 195 00:19:55,861 --> 00:19:58,896 Those at Woburn Abbey, in England, prospered. 196 00:19:58,964 --> 00:20:03,868 And in the early 1980s, 40 of the deer were returned to their homeland 197 00:20:03,936 --> 00:20:06,170 where they continue to thrive. 198 00:20:23,989 --> 00:20:26,457 The migrating cranes have so far travelled 199 00:20:26,525 --> 00:20:30,061 over 2,000 kilometres southwards along the coast. 200 00:20:38,570 --> 00:20:41,572 Passing the Milu Deer Reserve at Dafeng, 201 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,941 they are approaching another salt marsh 202 00:20:44,009 --> 00:20:48,346 which will provide the perfect conditions for them to spend the winter. 203 00:20:58,757 --> 00:21:03,494 This is Yancheng, the largest coastal wetland in China, 204 00:21:03,562 --> 00:21:07,031 visited by an estimated three million birds each year. 205 00:21:11,870 --> 00:21:15,206 Crane chicks that were only born seven months ago 206 00:21:15,274 --> 00:21:18,609 have now completed the first leg of a round trip 207 00:21:18,677 --> 00:21:21,112 which they will repeat every year. 208 00:21:22,848 --> 00:21:25,549 The hardy cranes can cope with winter temperatures 209 00:21:25,617 --> 00:21:27,785 which may drop below freezing. 210 00:21:30,722 --> 00:21:35,159 However, other migrating birds, like the endangered black-faced spoonbill, 211 00:21:35,227 --> 00:21:37,828 are less cold-tolerant 212 00:21:37,896 --> 00:21:41,866 and will continue even further south in search of warmer climes. 213 00:21:58,517 --> 00:22:01,352 At this point, many of the migrating bird flocks 214 00:22:01,420 --> 00:22:05,156 are barely halfway along their southward journey. 215 00:22:05,223 --> 00:22:08,059 Ahead of them lies a new challenge, 216 00:22:08,126 --> 00:22:11,128 China's greatest river, the Yangtze, 217 00:22:11,196 --> 00:22:14,632 and the venue for a very different kind of migration. 218 00:22:21,039 --> 00:22:25,009 Each year, millions of tons of cargo travel up and down the river, 219 00:22:25,077 --> 00:22:28,546 making this one of the busiest waterways in the world. 220 00:22:39,291 --> 00:22:41,559 These are Chinese mitten crabs, 221 00:22:41,626 --> 00:22:44,161 named for their strange hairy claws. 222 00:22:51,303 --> 00:22:54,739 They may migrate as much as 1 ,500 kilometres 223 00:22:54,806 --> 00:22:57,808 from tributaries and lakes to the river mouth, 224 00:22:57,876 --> 00:23:00,111 where they gather to breed. 225 00:23:07,018 --> 00:23:10,788 A similar migration is made by the giant Yangtze sturgeon, 226 00:23:10,856 --> 00:23:14,992 which can reach four metres long and weigh half a ton. 227 00:23:15,060 --> 00:23:18,596 In recent years, its numbers have declined dramatically 228 00:23:18,663 --> 00:23:23,000 as its migration is impeded by ever more river dams. 229 00:23:26,271 --> 00:23:30,207 But it isn't just animals like the sturgeon that are in trouble, 230 00:23:30,275 --> 00:23:33,644 the entire Yangtze River ecosystem is being poisoned. 231 00:23:36,948 --> 00:23:40,751 In spite of being the subject of an ambitious clean-up plan, 232 00:23:40,852 --> 00:23:43,354 today the river is reckoned to be the biggest 233 00:23:43,422 --> 00:23:47,258 single source of pollution entering the Pacific Ocean. 234 00:23:56,001 --> 00:23:58,903 Situated right at the mouth of its estuary, 235 00:23:58,970 --> 00:24:02,506 Chongming Island provides a vital resting and feeding spot 236 00:24:02,574 --> 00:24:05,075 for migrating shorebirds, 237 00:24:05,143 --> 00:24:07,745 and a place which offers welcome evidence 238 00:24:07,813 --> 00:24:11,782 of changing attitudes towards the Yangtze's beleaguered wildlife. 239 00:24:16,822 --> 00:24:20,057 For centuries these coastal mudflats have attracted hunters, 240 00:24:20,125 --> 00:24:21,826 like Mr Jin, 241 00:24:21,893 --> 00:24:24,929 who have honed their trapping skills to perfection 242 00:24:24,996 --> 00:24:28,799 to put rare birds on the tables of Shanghai's elite. 243 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:45,649 For 40 years Mr Jin has used a net, 244 00:24:45,717 --> 00:24:48,853 simple decoy birds and a bamboo whistle 245 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,122 to lure passing birds towards his nets. 246 00:25:07,405 --> 00:25:10,975 It takes both patience and consummate skill. 247 00:25:34,366 --> 00:25:37,234 But all is not as it seems. 248 00:25:37,302 --> 00:25:41,539 Mr Jin, like many of the best conservationists, 249 00:25:41,606 --> 00:25:44,675 is poacher turned gamekeeper, 250 00:25:44,743 --> 00:25:48,379 using his hunting skills to benefit his old quarry. 251 00:25:53,852 --> 00:25:56,820 The staff here at Dongtan Bird Reserve 252 00:25:56,888 --> 00:26:00,090 will measure, ring and weigh the trapped birds 253 00:26:00,158 --> 00:26:02,560 before releasing them unharmed. 254 00:26:03,895 --> 00:26:07,097 The information gathered by Mr Jin and his colleagues 255 00:26:07,165 --> 00:26:10,868 helps to protect over 200 different species of birds 256 00:26:10,936 --> 00:26:13,337 which visit the island each year. 257 00:26:21,813 --> 00:26:24,281 Just south of Chongming Island 258 00:26:24,349 --> 00:26:28,686 lies China's largest coastal city, Shanghai. 259 00:26:39,931 --> 00:26:44,168 Situated on a major migration route for birds as well as river life, 260 00:26:45,337 --> 00:26:48,806 Shanghai is now preparing for an even bigger invasion. 261 00:26:51,209 --> 00:26:56,146 Barges loaded with building materials constantly arrive in the city's docks, 262 00:26:56,815 --> 00:27:00,584 feeding one of the greatest construction booms in the world. 263 00:27:03,121 --> 00:27:07,391 Last year, half the world's concrete was poured into China's cities, 264 00:27:08,293 --> 00:27:12,463 all in preparation for the biggest mass migration of people 265 00:27:12,530 --> 00:27:14,698 in the history of the world. 266 00:27:20,939 --> 00:27:25,242 In the next 25 years, well over 300 million people 267 00:27:25,310 --> 00:27:30,247 are predicted to move from rural China into cities like Shanghai. 268 00:27:32,951 --> 00:27:36,186 The migration of people from country to city 269 00:27:36,254 --> 00:27:40,357 is being mirrored around the world, and by 2010 270 00:27:40,425 --> 00:27:44,461 over half of the world's population will be urban dwellers. 271 00:27:50,535 --> 00:27:54,605 As night falls, Shanghai reveals its true colours. 272 00:28:17,028 --> 00:28:20,397 China's fastest-growing financial centre 273 00:28:20,465 --> 00:28:23,600 is in the midst of a massive boom. 274 00:28:36,181 --> 00:28:40,851 With an estimated population of more than 20 million, 275 00:28:40,919 --> 00:28:43,921 Shanghai is officially China's largest 276 00:28:43,988 --> 00:28:46,824 and certainly its most dazzling city. 277 00:28:50,562 --> 00:28:53,630 But there is an environmental cost. 278 00:28:53,698 --> 00:28:58,602 Shanghai residents now use two and a half times more power per head 279 00:28:58,670 --> 00:29:00,704 than their rural cousins. 280 00:29:09,013 --> 00:29:12,082 The city's seemingly insatiable energy demands 281 00:29:12,150 --> 00:29:16,687 currently require the output of 17 power stations. 282 00:29:24,362 --> 00:29:28,565 South of Shanghai the city lights gradually fade 283 00:29:28,633 --> 00:29:31,335 as we enter an ancient world. 284 00:29:41,479 --> 00:29:44,581 This is Fujian Province, 285 00:29:44,649 --> 00:29:46,250 a rugged terrain 286 00:29:46,317 --> 00:29:51,088 guarded by sheer granite mountains which have helped to forge and preserve 287 00:29:51,156 --> 00:29:55,159 some of China's most ancient sites and traditional cultures. 288 00:29:56,795 --> 00:30:02,032 Towering above the coast, the 1 ,400-metre-high Taimu Mountains 289 00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:06,170 are known to the Chinese as "Fairyland on the Sea". 290 00:30:14,412 --> 00:30:18,715 Moist sea breezes condense on the cool mountaintops 291 00:30:18,783 --> 00:30:21,885 and combine with well-drained acid soils 292 00:30:21,953 --> 00:30:24,721 to produce the perfect growing conditions 293 00:30:24,789 --> 00:30:28,158 for acid-loving plants like wild azaleas. 294 00:30:32,997 --> 00:30:38,302 It's also home to camellias, including the most famous of all, 295 00:30:38,369 --> 00:30:39,870 the tea plant. 296 00:30:42,340 --> 00:30:45,742 Similar growing conditions all along the Fujian coast 297 00:30:45,810 --> 00:30:49,446 make this the treasure chest for China's tea, 298 00:30:49,514 --> 00:30:53,917 the heart of an industry dating back almost 4,000 years. 299 00:30:57,922 --> 00:31:01,625 One of the most traditional tea-growing cultures in the area 300 00:31:01,693 --> 00:31:03,827 is that of the Kejia people. 301 00:31:08,399 --> 00:31:13,136 Every morning, goats are let loose among the tea terraces, 302 00:31:13,204 --> 00:31:15,239 a centuries-old tradition. 303 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,642 This might seem surprising given goats' reputation 304 00:31:18,710 --> 00:31:20,811 for eating anything green, 305 00:31:21,479 --> 00:31:25,382 but tea isn't as defenceless as it looks. 306 00:31:27,252 --> 00:31:30,120 Tea leaves are loaded with bitter chemicals 307 00:31:30,188 --> 00:31:32,856 designed to repel browsing animals. 308 00:31:33,858 --> 00:31:35,893 It works on the goats, 309 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:40,364 who leave the tea untouched and instead eat up the weeds, 310 00:31:40,431 --> 00:31:43,734 fertilising the tea plants with their droppings. 311 00:31:46,671 --> 00:31:48,505 The surprise is that we humans 312 00:31:48,573 --> 00:31:51,942 should find the same bitter chemical cocktail 313 00:31:52,010 --> 00:31:53,810 utterly irresistible. 314 00:31:56,414 --> 00:32:00,851 Among the Kejia people, tea-growing is a family business. 315 00:32:01,319 --> 00:32:05,155 Women do the picking, while the men process and pack it. 316 00:32:08,026 --> 00:32:10,794 Mrs Zhang belongs to a Kejia family 317 00:32:10,862 --> 00:32:13,096 that has lived and worked for generations 318 00:32:13,164 --> 00:32:15,399 among these same tea terraces. 319 00:32:25,243 --> 00:32:29,346 The finest tea needs to be gathered quickly in warm sunshine 320 00:32:29,447 --> 00:32:33,450 as this brings out the flavour-enhancing oils inside the leaves. 321 00:32:46,464 --> 00:32:51,568 This sustainable industry has protected one of China's finest landscapes 322 00:32:51,636 --> 00:32:54,371 and one of its most traditional cultures. 323 00:33:04,849 --> 00:33:07,250 At the end of the morning's picking, 324 00:33:07,318 --> 00:33:11,989 Mrs Zhang returns home to drop off her tea ready for processing. 325 00:33:39,650 --> 00:33:43,186 This fort-like design has survived from a time 326 00:33:43,254 --> 00:33:45,989 when the Kejia needed to protect themselves 327 00:33:46,057 --> 00:33:48,258 against hostile local tribes. 328 00:33:52,964 --> 00:33:55,766 Each house has three or four levels 329 00:33:55,833 --> 00:33:59,736 designed to accommodate 50 to 250 people. 330 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,609 The ground floor houses the kitchens and animal stock 331 00:34:05,676 --> 00:34:08,011 with access to a well for water. 332 00:34:10,748 --> 00:34:13,383 The first floor rooms are used for storage 333 00:34:13,451 --> 00:34:15,886 and the upper floors are bedrooms. 334 00:34:20,958 --> 00:34:25,629 Some of these remarkable buildings are 800 years old 335 00:34:25,696 --> 00:34:29,166 and have survived earthquakes and typhoons. 336 00:34:42,213 --> 00:34:46,283 Once enough tea has been gathered in, the processing begins. 337 00:34:47,985 --> 00:34:50,220 Turning green leaves into saleable tea 338 00:34:50,288 --> 00:34:53,156 involves at least eight different stages, 339 00:34:53,224 --> 00:34:58,662 including drying, bruising, sifting, squeezing and twisting, 340 00:34:58,729 --> 00:35:02,299 before the finished product is finally ready for packing. 341 00:35:12,577 --> 00:35:15,579 The Zhang's village produces "little black dragon", 342 00:35:15,646 --> 00:35:17,714 or oolong tea, 343 00:35:17,782 --> 00:35:21,051 so called because of the way its twisted leaves unfurl 344 00:35:21,119 --> 00:35:22,986 when water is poured over them. 345 00:35:24,789 --> 00:35:27,824 Tea plays a vital part in Kejia life, 346 00:35:27,892 --> 00:35:32,629 not only as a source of income, but also as a way to welcome visitors 347 00:35:32,697 --> 00:35:34,865 and bring people together. 348 00:35:35,633 --> 00:35:37,834 In traditional Chinese life, 349 00:35:37,902 --> 00:35:42,806 even the simplest cup of tea is poured with an intricate amount of ritual. 350 00:35:50,548 --> 00:35:52,149 In the past, 351 00:35:52,216 --> 00:35:57,287 the Kejia people's other main income came from transporting goods like tea 352 00:35:57,355 --> 00:36:01,491 across the treacherous topography of mountains and river estuaries. 353 00:36:09,133 --> 00:36:13,603 Their route was suddenly made easier when, in 1059, 354 00:36:13,671 --> 00:36:16,006 this remarkable bridge was built. 355 00:36:19,110 --> 00:36:22,579 Made from massive 10-ton slabs of granite, 356 00:36:22,647 --> 00:36:26,483 it is one of China's lesser-known architectural gems. 357 00:36:28,686 --> 00:36:33,590 Luoyang Bridge has withstood earthquakes and tempestuous tides. 358 00:36:45,236 --> 00:36:48,672 Known as "10,000 ships launching", 359 00:36:48,739 --> 00:36:50,540 the bridge's 46 piers 360 00:36:50,608 --> 00:36:54,544 have withstood time and tide for almost a millennium. 361 00:36:57,915 --> 00:36:59,449 According to folklore, 362 00:36:59,517 --> 00:37:03,353 its success is due to a far-sighted piece of bio-engineering. 363 00:37:04,422 --> 00:37:06,523 Oysters were seeded on the piers 364 00:37:06,591 --> 00:37:10,227 and ever since, their concretions have helped cement 365 00:37:10,294 --> 00:37:12,429 the granite blocks together. 366 00:37:19,136 --> 00:37:22,405 Today, oysters are still cultivated here 367 00:37:22,473 --> 00:37:25,575 in the traditional way by Hui'an women. 368 00:37:27,511 --> 00:37:30,547 Stones are stood in the mudflats below the bridge 369 00:37:30,615 --> 00:37:32,782 to encourage the oysters to grow. 370 00:38:15,159 --> 00:38:18,762 Luoyang Bridge is now mainly used by locals 371 00:38:18,829 --> 00:38:22,732 carrying goods across the estuary towards the coastal ports. 372 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,341 For more than 2,000 years, 373 00:38:31,409 --> 00:38:33,576 coastal trade in China has depended 374 00:38:33,644 --> 00:38:36,279 on a remarkable and pioneering type of ship, 375 00:38:37,281 --> 00:38:39,983 known to us as the junk. 376 00:38:45,623 --> 00:38:48,058 This working vessel follows a general design 377 00:38:48,125 --> 00:38:52,262 that's been in use in Fujian for at least 600 years. 378 00:38:53,531 --> 00:38:57,734 Its bows take the form of a beak, with two large painted eyes 379 00:38:58,836 --> 00:39:01,638 evoking the traditional seafarers' belief 380 00:39:01,706 --> 00:39:04,641 that the bird's image would help sailors return safely, 381 00:39:05,509 --> 00:39:08,945 like the migrants that return each spring and autumn. 382 00:39:15,319 --> 00:39:18,655 Tea and other goods were stored in strong bulkheads, 383 00:39:18,723 --> 00:39:23,326 each waterproofed and separated from the next to minimise flood damage. 384 00:39:26,997 --> 00:39:31,434 This innovation, introduced to keep precious tea cargos dry, 385 00:39:31,502 --> 00:39:35,171 spurred on the improvement of not only Chinese boats, 386 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:37,107 but Western ones, too. 387 00:39:41,112 --> 00:39:43,613 The distinctive rigging of the junk's sails 388 00:39:43,681 --> 00:39:46,516 allows easy handling in bad weather, 389 00:39:46,584 --> 00:39:49,386 essential along this storm-battered coast. 390 00:39:53,491 --> 00:39:58,395 Each year from July to November, up to a dozen typhoons, 391 00:39:58,462 --> 00:40:01,898 a corruption of the Chinese word for "great wind", 392 00:40:01,966 --> 00:40:04,667 head northwest towards China. 393 00:40:08,672 --> 00:40:12,876 Typhoons are becoming more frequent as sea temperatures rise, 394 00:40:12,943 --> 00:40:16,045 aided by a global increase in greenhouse gases, 395 00:40:16,113 --> 00:40:18,248 such as carbon dioxide. 396 00:40:23,721 --> 00:40:27,290 But satellite pictures have revealed a surprising twist. 397 00:40:27,925 --> 00:40:32,762 It seems that typhoons can pull deep, nutrient-rich seawater 398 00:40:32,830 --> 00:40:36,766 up to the surface causing plankton blooms, 399 00:40:36,834 --> 00:40:42,138 which in turn soak up large quantities of carbon dioxide. 400 00:40:52,082 --> 00:40:54,384 When a typhoon strikes, 401 00:40:54,452 --> 00:40:58,721 one of the best places to be is Hong Kong harbour 402 00:40:58,789 --> 00:41:01,057 with its sheltered anchorage. 403 00:41:12,636 --> 00:41:15,271 A centre of international trade, 404 00:41:15,339 --> 00:41:18,308 the city is famous for its jumble of skyscrapers 405 00:41:18,375 --> 00:41:20,877 and its bustling commercial centre. 406 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:27,050 But there's a side to Hong Kong that's less well known. 407 00:41:33,624 --> 00:41:35,658 Behind the urban sprawl 408 00:41:35,726 --> 00:41:38,027 lies a swathe of wetlands 409 00:41:38,095 --> 00:41:41,064 which include the Mai Po Nature Reserve. 410 00:41:42,333 --> 00:41:46,035 Managed principally for the benefit of migrating birds, 411 00:41:46,103 --> 00:41:50,039 the reserve maintains a series of traditional prawn farms, 412 00:41:50,107 --> 00:41:52,175 known as gei wais, 413 00:41:52,243 --> 00:41:55,078 and their adjoining mangroves and mudflats. 414 00:41:59,383 --> 00:42:01,417 Every two weeks from November to March, 415 00:42:01,485 --> 00:42:05,388 one of the gei wais is drained by opening up the sluice gates. 416 00:42:18,202 --> 00:42:21,437 As the water level falls, birds begin to gather. 417 00:42:22,439 --> 00:42:25,642 Herons, egrets and cormorants 418 00:42:25,709 --> 00:42:27,944 mingle with a far rarer visitor, 419 00:42:30,381 --> 00:42:32,415 the black-faced spoonbill. 420 00:42:36,387 --> 00:42:37,854 These endangered migrants 421 00:42:37,922 --> 00:42:41,057 have travelled the length of the Chinese coastline 422 00:42:41,125 --> 00:42:44,360 from Northern China and Korea. 423 00:42:44,428 --> 00:42:48,765 Mai Po marks the end of a 2,000 kilometre journey 424 00:42:48,832 --> 00:42:52,969 during which the birds may have lost up to a third of their body weight. 425 00:42:53,904 --> 00:42:56,506 Four hundred black-faced spoonbills, 426 00:42:56,574 --> 00:42:59,609 a quarter of the world's population, 427 00:42:59,677 --> 00:43:01,611 pass the winter here. 428 00:43:06,016 --> 00:43:07,550 At low water, 429 00:43:07,618 --> 00:43:10,620 trapped shrimps and fish become easy prey, 430 00:43:11,689 --> 00:43:14,891 a life saver for these endangered birds. 431 00:43:30,341 --> 00:43:33,743 The Mai Po marshes are part of the Pearl River estuary, 432 00:43:34,845 --> 00:43:39,782 whose muddy shores abound with crabs, worms and mud-skippers. 433 00:43:56,133 --> 00:43:58,434 Exposed at low tide, 434 00:43:58,502 --> 00:44:01,871 this smorgasbord of mud-life attracts both waders 435 00:44:01,939 --> 00:44:03,806 and the gei wai birds. 436 00:44:20,324 --> 00:44:23,026 Here on the mudflats of Inner Deep Bay, 437 00:44:23,093 --> 00:44:26,763 each kind of bird has its own specific feeding zone 438 00:44:26,830 --> 00:44:29,499 defined by the depth of the water, 439 00:44:29,566 --> 00:44:33,069 the length of its beak and its feeding technique. 440 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:44,614 Once refuelled, 441 00:44:44,682 --> 00:44:48,084 they revel in synchronised aerial displays. 442 00:45:15,045 --> 00:45:18,347 More than any other place on China's coastline, 443 00:45:18,415 --> 00:45:21,551 Inner Deep Bay demonstrates that, with help, 444 00:45:21,618 --> 00:45:24,487 resilient nature can still thrive, 445 00:45:24,555 --> 00:45:26,322 even when boxed in 446 00:45:26,390 --> 00:45:30,493 and overshadowed by towering cities like Shenzhen. 447 00:45:37,835 --> 00:45:40,536 Another successful example of man's intervention 448 00:45:40,604 --> 00:45:42,305 on behalf of nature 449 00:45:42,372 --> 00:45:46,175 can be glimpsed in the waters around Lantau Island. 450 00:45:50,914 --> 00:45:54,050 While egrets make the most of an easy meal, 451 00:45:54,118 --> 00:45:57,653 other creatures have their eye on the fishermen's catch. 452 00:46:07,664 --> 00:46:11,667 Chinese white dolphins are estuary specialists. 453 00:46:16,940 --> 00:46:20,510 Found widely in the Indian and Pacific Ocean, 454 00:46:20,577 --> 00:46:22,812 this species is rare in China. 455 00:46:24,448 --> 00:46:29,619 The young are born dark grey and become spotted as adolescents, 456 00:46:31,421 --> 00:46:34,157 finally turning creamy white as adults, 457 00:46:35,459 --> 00:46:39,262 though on some occasions they may blush a delicate shade of pink. 458 00:46:53,744 --> 00:46:57,547 Three groups of dolphins live close to Lantau Island. 459 00:46:57,614 --> 00:47:02,885 As the tide comes in, they move with it to feed on small fish or squid 460 00:47:02,953 --> 00:47:05,488 which travel with the currents, 461 00:47:05,556 --> 00:47:09,725 using echolocation to see their prey through the murky water. 462 00:47:13,697 --> 00:47:16,199 They also use sound to communicate. 463 00:47:18,802 --> 00:47:21,237 But they face a deafening problem. 464 00:47:27,344 --> 00:47:32,148 The Pearl Estuary has become one of the busiest shipping channels in China, 465 00:47:32,216 --> 00:47:35,351 and the dolphins are constantly bombarded with sound. 466 00:47:41,758 --> 00:47:45,194 New research suggests that they may now pack more information 467 00:47:45,262 --> 00:47:48,798 into shorter calls in a bid to be heard. 468 00:47:50,868 --> 00:47:55,705 Local conservationists have now set up a protected zone near Lantau Island. 469 00:47:56,907 --> 00:48:00,276 So, for now, China's white dolphins are holding on. 470 00:48:08,986 --> 00:48:12,622 South of Hong Kong lies the South China Sea, 471 00:48:12,689 --> 00:48:16,125 studded with more than 200 islands and reefs. 472 00:48:18,595 --> 00:48:21,797 Potential reserves of fish, oil and gas 473 00:48:21,865 --> 00:48:24,233 make each one strategic, 474 00:48:24,301 --> 00:48:27,570 and the whole region has become a political hot spot 475 00:48:27,638 --> 00:48:32,308 as territorial disputes simmer between its many neighbouring countries. 476 00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:39,515 The waters themselves are low in nutrients 477 00:48:39,583 --> 00:48:41,384 and would be poor in life 478 00:48:41,451 --> 00:48:45,588 if it wasn't for the other resource that's here in abundance. 479 00:48:46,890 --> 00:48:48,190 Sunlight. 480 00:48:52,429 --> 00:48:54,397 In the shallows of the coral atolls, 481 00:48:54,464 --> 00:48:57,967 small jellyfish point their tentacles towards the sun. 482 00:48:59,236 --> 00:49:01,237 Like many animals here, 483 00:49:01,305 --> 00:49:05,408 they depend on a close partnership with microscopic algae, 484 00:49:05,475 --> 00:49:08,878 which turn solar power into food. 485 00:49:09,980 --> 00:49:14,917 The most famous of these relationships is the reef-forming corals, 486 00:49:14,985 --> 00:49:19,221 which provide the foundation of the sea's most dazzling ecosystem. 487 00:49:24,294 --> 00:49:25,962 Their branches provide shelter 488 00:49:26,029 --> 00:49:28,931 for a wealth of small and vulnerable creatures, 489 00:49:28,999 --> 00:49:31,600 many of them beautifully camouflaged. 490 00:49:34,905 --> 00:49:38,941 But the ultimate master of disguise has to be the octopus, 491 00:49:39,009 --> 00:49:42,345 able to change not only its shape and colour, 492 00:49:42,412 --> 00:49:44,580 but its skin texture, too. 493 00:49:53,523 --> 00:49:56,559 Where the reefs meet deeper waters, 494 00:49:56,626 --> 00:49:59,929 upwelling currents carry nutrients to the surface. 495 00:50:06,336 --> 00:50:10,940 Reef fish swim out to gorge themselves on the resulting food, 496 00:50:11,008 --> 00:50:15,077 in turn attracting larger predatory fish to the reefs. 497 00:50:25,689 --> 00:50:28,124 Trevally prowl in dense packs. 498 00:50:33,363 --> 00:50:36,732 Giant rays sweep in on graceful wings 499 00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:40,770 to hoover up the remaining plankton, 500 00:50:40,837 --> 00:50:43,973 which also attracts the king of fish. 501 00:50:55,118 --> 00:50:57,820 Growing up to 12 metres long, 502 00:50:57,888 --> 00:51:01,757 the whale shark is a gentle giant. 503 00:51:01,825 --> 00:51:04,827 And these days, a rare sighting. 504 00:51:13,336 --> 00:51:15,137 As sharks, small and large, 505 00:51:15,205 --> 00:51:19,008 are plundered to supply the East Asian shark meat trade, 506 00:51:19,076 --> 00:51:22,978 the fate of these fabulous creatures hangs in the balance. 507 00:51:27,651 --> 00:51:31,887 While healthy coral reefs still survive in the remote islands, 508 00:51:31,955 --> 00:51:36,025 the situation close to the Chinese coast is quite different. 509 00:51:43,133 --> 00:51:48,170 The waters along the shores of Hainan, China's largest tropical island, 510 00:51:48,238 --> 00:51:50,973 have been fished for thousands of years. 511 00:52:01,451 --> 00:52:04,520 As the reefs become less and less productive, 512 00:52:04,588 --> 00:52:06,188 fishermen from Tanmen harbour 513 00:52:06,256 --> 00:52:09,358 need all their resourcefulness to make a living. 514 00:52:22,939 --> 00:52:28,010 Dicing with death, they breathe air pumped through hose pipes 515 00:52:28,078 --> 00:52:31,647 in a desperate bid to catch the last remaining sea life. 516 00:52:34,351 --> 00:52:38,154 Over the years, increased sedimentation and the use of dynamite and cyanide 517 00:52:38,221 --> 00:52:42,291 means the corals close to shore are barely hanging on. 518 00:52:53,670 --> 00:52:57,606 Recently the government has recognised that regulation is needed 519 00:52:57,674 --> 00:53:00,876 if the local fishery is to survive for the future. 520 00:53:06,249 --> 00:53:08,617 Fishing is now banned for two months of the year 521 00:53:08,685 --> 00:53:11,387 to allow marine life a chance to breed. 522 00:53:25,569 --> 00:53:27,736 One of the most important tropical habitats 523 00:53:27,804 --> 00:53:30,472 for young fish is mangrove swamps. 524 00:53:32,442 --> 00:53:33,909 In the last 40 years, 525 00:53:33,977 --> 00:53:37,513 eighty percent of China's mangroves have been destroyed. 526 00:53:39,149 --> 00:53:42,952 But at the Dongzhaigang Mangrove Reserve in Hainan, 527 00:53:43,019 --> 00:53:45,487 a remarkable conservation initiative 528 00:53:45,555 --> 00:53:48,691 is bringing young Chinese volunteers together 529 00:53:48,758 --> 00:53:52,661 to plant mangrove saplings in the glutinous mud. 530 00:53:56,199 --> 00:53:58,400 For many of these city-born students, 531 00:53:58,468 --> 00:54:01,470 such unglamorous work demonstrates their commitment 532 00:54:01,538 --> 00:54:03,839 to their country's environment. 533 00:54:06,509 --> 00:54:09,044 Like other heavily populated countries, 534 00:54:09,112 --> 00:54:12,381 China today is faced with a challenge. 535 00:54:12,449 --> 00:54:16,952 How best to protect nature in an increasingly crowded space? 536 00:54:33,470 --> 00:54:38,607 These wild macaques live on a tiny Hainan Island reserve 537 00:54:38,675 --> 00:54:41,944 where they are carefully managed and looked after. 538 00:54:47,817 --> 00:54:52,321 Most of the island's hillsides are covered with tropical woodland, 539 00:54:52,389 --> 00:54:55,424 but there are also areas of flower meadows 540 00:54:55,492 --> 00:54:57,926 where the monkeys gather to feed. 541 00:55:09,039 --> 00:55:12,541 Each morning, as the tropical sun heats their island, 542 00:55:12,609 --> 00:55:16,679 the macaques head downhill in search of somewhere cooler. 543 00:55:19,649 --> 00:55:23,519 And what could be more refreshing than a dip in the pool? 544 00:55:53,116 --> 00:55:55,884 To the Chinese, combining a wildlife reserve 545 00:55:55,952 --> 00:56:00,689 with a tourist development makes perfect commercial sense, 546 00:56:00,757 --> 00:56:04,693 and the monkeys don't seem at all unhappy with the deal. 547 00:56:10,200 --> 00:56:13,469 The question is where to draw the line. 548 00:56:22,011 --> 00:56:23,479 Like the rest of the world, 549 00:56:23,546 --> 00:56:28,484 China is still feeling its way towards a harmonious relationship with nature. 550 00:56:33,857 --> 00:56:35,824 Six hundred years ago 551 00:56:35,892 --> 00:56:39,995 the people who lived here carved this calligraphy in the rocks, 552 00:56:40,063 --> 00:56:43,399 announcing it to be "the end of the world". 553 00:56:51,541 --> 00:56:56,345 In recent years that world has undergone a massive expansion 554 00:56:56,413 --> 00:56:58,514 as tourists from all over China 555 00:56:58,581 --> 00:57:02,851 have discovered the delights of Hainan's tropical seaside resorts. 556 00:57:07,390 --> 00:57:11,393 By 2010, China's total tourism revenue 557 00:57:11,461 --> 00:57:15,864 is expected to hit £75 billion a year. 558 00:57:24,107 --> 00:57:28,877 While insensitive development could destroy China's natural environment, 559 00:57:28,945 --> 00:57:34,049 well-managed eco-tourism could provide huge benefits for China's wildlife. 560 00:57:38,321 --> 00:57:42,858 The issues that face China today, increasing pressure on resources 561 00:57:42,926 --> 00:57:46,662 and living space and quality of environment, 562 00:57:46,729 --> 00:57:48,831 are those that face us all. 563 00:57:53,169 --> 00:57:55,237 If there is any country in the world 564 00:57:55,305 --> 00:57:59,141 equipped to solve environmental problems on a vast scale, 565 00:58:00,810 --> 00:58:03,278 it has to be China, 566 00:58:03,346 --> 00:58:08,584 with its tremendous human resources and powerful political control. 567 00:58:08,651 --> 00:58:13,121 The path it chooses will affect not just its own people 568 00:58:13,189 --> 00:58:16,024 and its natural environment, 569 00:58:16,092 --> 00:58:18,360 but the rest of the world, too.