September 19, 2026 marked International Coastal Cleanup Day. Staff of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Jamaica took part in volunteer coastal‑cleaning activities at Port Royal.

Led by Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Yang Xiaorong and Counsellor Wang Youli and working under the theme of “Sea the Change: Away is a Place”, the Chinese volunteer team brought together more than 30 volunteers from various of institutions, including the Embassy, the Confucius Institute at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Chinese enterprises, and the local Chinese community.

The team collected, sorted and removed approximately 380 pounds of waste, including plastic bags and containers, oil jerry cans, tyres, foam footwear, packaging, glass bottles and other discarded items. The collected waste filled more than 10 garbage bags.

The activity put into practice the principles of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilisation. China upholds the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and advocates building a community of life for humanity and nature. The participation of the Chinese team reflects China’s commitment to working with Jamaica to strengthen environmental cooperation and contribute to a clean, beautiful and sustainable world.

As Minister Counsellor Yang Xiaorong said, the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica remains committed to supporting Jamaica’s efforts in environmental protection and sustainable development. Together with Chinese enterprises and the local Chinese community, the Embassy will continue to contribute to preserving Jamaica’s natural beauty, promoting harmony between humanity and nature, and strengthening people-to-people exchanges and the bonds of friendship between China and Jamaica.

Co-organised by the Jamaica Environment Trust, the National Environment and Planning Agency and other partner organisations, International Coastal Cleanup Day is one of Jamaica’s flagship environmental volunteer programmes. This year, more than 130 groups registered to participate, with over 170 clean-up activities scheduled across Jamaica.