XIAMEN, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday opened a training and awareness center on marine biodiversity protection in southeast coastal city of Xiamen, Fujian Province.

    The move will help curb the decline in the varieties and numbers of marine life in the country, said Chen Lianzeng, deputy director of the State Oceanic Administration.

    Chen said the center will focus on the management project on marine life diversity in coastal areas along southern China launched by the United Nations Development Program.

    "The center will help spread advanced models of foreign countries in protecting marine life and raise the protection awareness of the nation's governments and people," said Chen.

    China now has 30 sea reserves under state protection and 60 more under the protection of local governments, covering all endangered marine life.

    China became a signatory member of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992.