Coastal　wetlands　are　of　great　ecological　and　economic　value　but　face　significant　degradation　and　losses　because　of　human　activities.　Nevertheless,　the　changes　in　spatiotemporal　landscape　patterns,　which　have　occurred　as　a　result　of　coastal　wetland　losses,　have　not　been　well　documented　under　the　rapid　urbanization　in　coastal　zones.　In　this　study,　an　algorithm　based　on　periodic　tidal　inundations　and　full　time-series　indices　was　developed　to　map　the　detailed　status　and　trends　in　the　coastal　wetlands　in　Fujian　Province　from　1994　to　2018　by　using　more　than　archived　5000　Landsat　images.　The　results　showed　that　in　2018,　there　were　1136.56　km2　of　coastal　wetlands　along　the　coast　of　Fujian　with　an　overall　accuracy　of　95.63%,　which　were　mainly　distributed　in　estuaries　and　bays.　These　coastal　wetlands　consisted　of　tidal　flats,　low　marshes,　and　high　marshes　with　proportions　of　84.91%,　13.05%,　and　2.04%,　respectively.　An　unprecedented　loss　of　coastal　wetlands　has　occurred　in　Fujian　Province,　with　an　annual　rate　of　15.44　km2/a　from　1994　to　2018.　Many　coastal　wetlands　were　reclaimed,　dredged,　and　converted　into　inland　areas　for　aquaculture　ponds,　ports,　and　built-up　areas　in　different　urbanization　periods,　which　has　led　to　a　great　loss　of　coastal　spaces　with　an　area　of　476.87　km2.　The　interplay　between　the　loss　of　coastal　wetlands　and　seaward　urbanization　will　lead　to　severe　fragmentation　and　squeezing　effects　in　the　coastal　zone　and　will　weaken　the　coastal　protection　from　marine　disasters　that　is　provided　by　coastal　wetlands.　Therefore,　we　conceived　two　conceptional　frameworks　for　sustainable　coastal　protection　based　on　the　current　situations　of　the　coastal　communities　to　provide　a　trade-off　between　economic　development　and　the　protection　of　coastal　developing　countries　in　the　world.　©　2021　Elsevier　B.V.