China places particular emphasis on protecting wetland ecosystems, which is mainly reflected in its legislation. China enacted special legislation regarding wetlands in 2022. However, wetland protection legislation must be combined with wetland management practises to effectively promote the achievement of wetland protection objectives. In the past 50 years, the rate of wetland loss in China has reached 21.6%, and wetland protection work in China remains imperative. Consequently, this paper examines China’s wetland legislation changes over the past four decades and analyzes the highlights of this new Wetland Conservation Law (hereinafter referred to as WCL) at first. Then it concentrates on the status quo of wetland management in China and attempts to identify problems in wetland management, especially the connection between law and management practice. In this paper, the management status of the Poyang Lake wetland, which is one of China’s most significant wetlands, serves as a starting point for a discussion of China’s wetland management. Finally, pertinent suggestions are made. Recommendations include the establishment of dedicated agencies for wetland protection, the establishment of a wetland management coordination mechanism, the improvement of wetland monitoring, the diversification of wetland funding mechanisms, and the provision of diverse means for the public to participate in wetland protection.