Wang Qiong is hard at work as a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and chief engineer for water quality inspection at Zongguan Waterworks in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Yangtze River's finless porpoise population rose to 1,426 in 2025, thanks in large part to the 10-year fishing ban that took effect in 2021, according to Wang Qiong, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress.

Wang is chief engineer and senior technician at Zongguan Waterworks in Wuhan, Hubei province, and has 30 years of experience in inspecting the water quality in the Yangtze River. Since Wang was elected as a deputy to the NPC in 2023, she has put forward suggestions for finless porpoise protection every year and plans to continue her efforts at this year's two sessions.

Wang Qiong is hard at work as a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and chief engineer for water quality inspection at Zongguan Waterworks in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In her first year, Wang proposed building a digital finless porpoise platform, which is now in place. She followed that up with a call for a national project of returning all relocated finless porpoise to their home in the Yangtze River. In 2025, she focused on hidden threats, including ship noise pollution and floodplain degradation.

In December 2025, eight ministries issued the Yangtze Finless Porpoise Rescue Action Plan (2026-35), which includes measures to restore the floodplains. "I'm glad all my proposals have been valued and implemented," Wang said.

Wang Qiong is hard at work as a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and chief engineer for water quality inspection at Zongguan Waterworks in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This year, she has fresh ideas: building a national research center for finless porpoise breeding, launching a digital communication platform, and making the finless porpoise Wuhan's official ecological mascot.

Wang said that water quality in the Wuhan section of the Yangtze and Hanjiang rivers has maintained Grade II for six years, and fish resources have tripled since the fishing ban.

Wang Qiong is hard at work as a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress and chief engineer for water quality inspection at Zongguan Waterworks in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"Last year, when I was inspecting the water quality in Tianxingzhou in the central city area, I spotted finless porpoises leaping," she recalled, a happy memory that she believes speaks to the success of the Yangtze River protection.