Based on plant specimen data,sediment samples,photos,and sketches from 45 coastal cross-sections,and materials from two recent countrywide comprehensive investigations on Chinese coasts and is-lands,this paper deals with China’s vegetative tidal-flats:salt marshes and mangrove swamps.Thereare now 141700 acres of salt marshes and 51000 acres of mangrove swamps which together cover about30% of the mud-coast area of the country and distribute between 18°N(Southem Hainan Island)and41°N(Liaodong Bay).Over the past 45 years.about 1750000 acres of salt marshes and 49400 acres ofmangrove swamps have been reclaimed.The2.0×10~9 tons of fine sediments input by rivers into the Chinese seas form extensive tidal flats,the soil basis of coastal helophytes.Different climates result inthe diversity of vegetation.The 3～8m tidal range favors intertidal zone development.Of over 20plant species in the salt marshes,native Suaeda salsa,Phragmites australis,Aeluropus littoralis,Zoysiamaerostachys,Imperata cylindrica and in Based on plant specimen data, sediment samples, photos, and sketches from 45 coastal cross-sections, and materials from two recent countrywide comprehensive investigations on Chinese coasts and is-lands, this paper deals with China’s vegetative tidal-flats: salt marshes and mangrove swamps.There are now 141700 acres of salt marshes and 51000 acres of mangrove swamps which together cover about30% of the mud-coast area of ​​the country and distribute between18 ° N (Southem Hainan Island) and41 ° N (Liaodong Bay) .Over the past 45 years.about 1750000 acres of salt marshes and 49400 acres of marove swamps have been reclaimed.The2.0 × 10 ~ 9 tons of fine sediments input by rivers into the Chinese seas form extensive tidal flats, the soil basis of coastal helophytes.Different climates result inthe diversity of vegetation. 3 ~ 8m tidal range favors intertidal zone development. Over 20 species in the salt marshes, native Suaeda salsa, Phragmites australis, Aeluropus littoralis, Zoysia maerostachys, Imper ata cylindrica and in