Wu Chuanliang is a true millennial. After he graduated from university in 2014, his first job was at the Coral Reef Nature Reserve, where he found his passion for coral. He left his job at the nature reserve after three years, setting up the Sanya Coral Reef Ecological Research Institute as a new way to aid in coral reef conservation. Together with other millennials, he has whipped up a storm with their coral reef research.

After thousands of years of growth and propagation, a vast number of coral come together under the sea to form a breathtakingly beautiful coral reefs, which are often referred to as “submarine rainforests.” Though coral reefs cover less than 0.2% of the ocean floor, they provide a home for close to 30% of known ocean wildlife. Over the past few decades, coral reefs have been shrinking, and allowing them to naturally recover would be challenging and take a very long time. This is where “submarine planters” like Wu Chuanliang come in.

The past five years has seen Wu’s team gradually expand. This team of millennial go-getters has gone from strength to strength, restoring more than 50 hectares of coral reef. In recent times, increasing numbers of people have realized the importance of protecting coral reefs, the ocean, and the environment, a fact that brings a smile to Wu’s face. He believes that the ocean world that exists beneath the waves is as integral to the Hainan Free Trade Port as the opportunities and prosperity brought about by its construction and development.