Nigeria Times

By Zhou Shanshan, People’s Daily

Jingdezhen, a city known as the world-famous “porcelain capital” in east China’s Jiangxi province, boasts a distinctive charm and artistic ambiance bestowed by its rich traditional ceramic culture.

With over 2,000 years of history in ceramic craftsmanship, the small city has become a window into the openness and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization.

The trading center for the China Jingdezhen International Ceramics Expo is home to nearly 1,000 international ceramic brands, building a global network of ceramics trade. The Taoxichuan Spring & Autumn Art Fair has brought together global artists and artisans for cultural exchanges. The city hosts more than 60,000 “Jingpiaos,” or migrants who came to pursue their dreams, with foreigners always seen in workshops, shops, and schools.

Using ceramics as a bridge, Jingdezhen is welcoming visitors from around the world to foster diverse artistic expressions. It has become a dream city for ceramic artists and a refreshingglimpse into Chinese culture.

At the same time, Jingdezhen is rapidly “going global.”In 2023, Jingdezhen’s official flagship store opened in Dubai, providing a new platform for cultural exchanges and foreign trade for local ceramic companies.Statistics show that since 2013, the average annual growth of Jingdezhen’s ceramic export volume has exceeded 20 percent.

For centuries, Jingdezhen’s ceramic products have traversed rivers and oceans, making their way from Chinato the world. The city’sglobal significance is so profound that it was one of the only three Chinese cities noted on the maps of British museums during the 16thcentury.

Going global – Telling ceramic stories to the world

As China’s only national ceramic culture inheritance and innovation pilot zone, Jingdezhen is continuously sharing its ceramic cultural stories with the world.

It has set up international experience centers for ceramic culture in Italy and many other countries, and developed an interactive map together with over 100 museums and archaeological institutions, which allows users to explore the global ceramic landscape with a simple touch.

Beyond Jingdezhen, the Chinese ceramic culture as a whole is revealing its charm through exchanges with different civilizations.

For example, the “Blanc de Chine — Dehua Porcelain” international exhibition is expected to host cultural exchange activities in more than 20 countries and regions in five years. The crack ice pattern typically found on Longquan celadon ceramics created an important design for the medals of the Beijing Winter Olympics, captivating athletes from around the world.

Ceramics provides a fascinating perspective into the global charm of Chinese culture. In recent years, from traditional festivals to artistic performances and intangible cultural heritage, fine traditional Chinese culture has continuously transcended borders, capturing the affection of people worldwide and strengthening people-to-people bonds through cultural exchanges.

A civilization can flourish only through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations.

Throughout its long history, Jingdezhen has consistently embraced new ideas, experimented with new techniques, and explored new aesthetic expressions.

For instance, the Persian Samarra-blue dazzlingly adorned Jingdezhen’s porcelain ware, creating the legendary narrative of blue-and-white ceramics. Many vases have absorbed the design characteristics from other parts of the world, as represented by Meiping vases, moon-shaped vases and double-handled flat vases.

The “Eight Friends of Zhushan,” a group of Jingdezhen artisens widely noted for their innovations in porcelain painting, took propelling famille rose porcelain to a new height by integrating Chinese and Western painting techniques.

The openness and inclusiveness have become the crucial secret for Jingdezhen to sustaining its kiln fires for a millennium.

Bringing in – Writing captivating stories of opening up

At the Taoxichuan International Studio, an American ceramic artist, who has lived in Jingdezhen for many years, was operating his 3D printer. He has ingeniously integrated painting techniques and cultural elements he had learned in countries like South Korea and Japan into his ceramic designs.

In recent years, Jingdezhen has taken a range of measures to foster a vibrant artistic environment for global ceramics enthusiasts.

It has put forth the Migratory Bird Program to attract international artists for residencies, and extendedits entrepreneurial incubation chains to support business startups at different development stages. It has alsoset up service centers to provide comprehensive support for those who come here to pursue their ceramics dreams.

These efforts have opened new horizons for the ceramic industry, created unprecedented possibilities and enrichedthe creativity of the city’s ceramic culture.

By Sun Chao, People’s Daily

The Juzizhou Islet, a Chinese national 5A-level scenic arealocated in the Xiangjiang River, is a landmark of Changsha, central China’s Hunan province. According to statistics, from 2021 to 2023, the number of tourists visiting the islet has increased from 8 million to 16.9 million.

The renowned scenic area is embracing green development and transforming itself into a “zero-carbon” islet. Local authorities have taken a range of measures, such as mapping out the islet’scarbon footprint, and supplying facilities on the island with wind, solar power and other clean energy. These low-carbon development experiences have been promoted across the entire Hunan province to build a new type of power system.

“Mapping out the carbon footprint is the primary step to achieve zero carbon,” said Li Ke, professor with Hunan Normal University and head of the Hunan Institute for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality.

Li said that when assessing the carbon footprint, it is important to consider such factors as electricity consumption, gasoline and diesel emissions, and even the carbon dioxide emitted by tourists. Based on systematic calculations, it is estimated that the net carbon emissions of the Juzizhou Islet stood at around 5,900 tonsin 2023.

In China, many islands have achieved notable success in carbon reduction. “There are many successful examples, such as Meizhou Island in Putian, southeast China’sFujian province, and Dongyu Island in Boao, south China’sHainan province,” Li said. However, the Juzizhou Islet cannot simply copy these models, he added.

The Juzizhou Islet is on a river rather than the sea. It covers only a narrow and small area and does not have abundant wind or solar energy resources. For this city landmark and 5A-level scenic area, it is not practical to install large wind turbines and massive solar panels.

“The only way is to deliver green electricity to the islet directly,” said Yang Haokang, deputy general manager of State Grid Changsha Power Supply Company.

In the past, the electricity used on the islet primarily came from the grid, but not all of it was green electricity. To efficiently deliver affordable green electricity to the islet, the company decided to leverage wind and solar resources in the Xiangjiang River basin.

To the west of the Juzizhou Islet, there is a distributed wind farm in Ningxiang, Changsha; to the south of it, there is a photovoltaic power station in Xiangtan. Through the green power transmission lines, the green electricity generated by these two facilities can flow straight to the islet.

“The combination of wind and solar energy can enhance the stability of power supply,” said Yang.

Apart from receiving renewable energy from power supply facilities, the islet has also built a flexible distribution network so that distributed photovoltaics, energy storage, charging piles, and other facilities can be easily connected to the network for immediate use.

Since August this year, the islet has successfully achieved the point-to-point transmission of green electricity, leading to a significant reduction in carbon emissions.

Carbon reduction and sequestration

In addition to green power supply, the scenic area is proactively working on carbon reduction and sequestration to facilitate green transformation.

For instance, miniature wind turbines shaped like flower petals have been installed, creating a vibrant floral landscape that sways gently in the river’s breeze. There are also photovoltaic walkways with multiple functions including power generation, lighting and energy storage, which allow them to absorb solar energy during the day and glow at night.

Some pavilions, bus stop roofs, and even walls on the islet, also have their “special skills.” For example, specially-made photovoltaic tiles and walls appear no different from regular glazed tiles and glass windows. They integrate well into the environment while providing electricity for outdoor screens, charging devices and other facilities on the islet.

In the spinning bike area, tourists can power the large screen ahead only by pedaling their bikes. “I thought it was just a stationary fitness bike, but didn’t expect it to generate electricity. I come here every morning to exercise while also playing my part in green power generation,” said Wang Zexin, a resident in Changsha.

“These micro power generation devices are expected to produce 21,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity on an annual basis, equivalent to the carbon sequestration capacity of more than 10 mu (0.67 hectares) of forest in a year,” said Li.

Li noted that a carbon emission model has been established within the zero-carbon data center of the isletto illustrate energy consumption structure and changes in energy use, as well as the updating and addition of tree species. “We will further enhance the islet’s vegetation to boost its carbon sequestration capacity,” Li explained.

Thanks to efforts such as providing green power, integrating renewable energy solutions, and enhancing vegetation for carbon sequestration, the Juzizhou Islet has achieved near-zero carbon emissions.

By Sun Guangyong, Yang Yi, People’s Daily

On Dec. 3, the China-Laos Railway embraced a new chapter in its historic journey with the celebration of its third anniversary of operation. The international railway, stretching from Kunming in southwest China’s Yunnan province to the Lao capital Vientiane,has continuously bolstered transport capacity and enhanced regional connectivity.

Withits influence extended to other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia, the railway has become a golden transport corridor linkingChinese and international markets, benefiting countries along the route.

At dawn, Onkeo, a local girl,weaved through a crowded platform at the Vientiane Railway Station, ready to board her train. Every month, she takes the China-Laos Railway to visit her grandmother in her hometown of Muang Xay, a city in northern Laos.

“In the past, it took a full day and night to travel from Vientiane to Muang Xay by car, but now, it’s just about three hours by train,”Onkeosaid.

As Laos’ first modern railway, the China-Laos Railway has not only changed the way local people travel, but provided international travelers with a new option.

Three years since its launch, the average daily number of passenger trains handled by the Lao section of the railway has grown from 4 to 14, with daily passenger trips surging from over 1,000 to nearly 15,000.

According to data from Laos’ Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, over 85 percent of the travelers from Vientiane to Luang Prabang chose the China-Laos Railway as a favorable mode of transport.

Thonglor Duangsavanh, editor-in-chief of Vientiane Times, noted that Laos previously struggled with inconvenient transport options. The China-Laos Railway provides tourists with an accessible and affordable way to travel, he added.He expected more tourists to visit Laos by train to experience the country’s unique natural landscapes and way of life.

As of Nov. 30 this year, the China-Laos Railway had handled 42.92 million passenger trips, with the Lao section alone having transported 7.41 million passengers and 10.74 million tons of goods. The range of goods transported via the railway has expanded from initially over 10 varieties, such as rubber, fertilizers, and general merchandise, to over 2,700 types currently, including electronics, photovoltaics, telecommunications equipment, and automobiles. This has effectively driven industrial upgrades and international trade along the route.

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone told People’s Daily that over the past three years, the China-Laos Railway has allowed Lao people to travel much more easily and facilitated the movement of goods and passengers in the whole region. It has played a crucial role in enhancing regional connectivity and trade facilitation, said Siphandone.

In addition to driving economic growth, the China-Laos Railway has also boosted employment in Laos. Over the past three years, thousands of Lao trainees have joined training programs to learn professional skills in locomotive operation, maintenance, passenger and freight transportation, and shunting, among others.

As of October this year, there are over 1,000 Lao employees working on the railway, accounting for 61.3 percent of the total workforce. They are playing an increasingly prominent role in railway safety management, passenger and freight transportation, equipment operation and maintenance, and other areas. Besides, the railway has created over 100,000 jobs in Laos.

With the launch of the Lancang-Mekong Express service, the transit time from Kunming to Vientiane has been reduced from three days to just one day. Besides, the China-Laos Railway has formed an international logistic artery by linking with the China-Europe freight train service and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, which has shortened the time needed to transport goods directly from Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries to Europe to 15 days. The interconnected railway has provided a more convenient and efficient logistics corridor linking China with South Asia and Southeast Asia, contributing to regional economic development and prosperity.

Over the past three years, the Lancang-Mekong Express has handled over 15,000 international cargo trains, transporting over 10.6 million tons of import and export goods, with a cargo value exceeding 44 billion yuan ($6.05 billion).

According to Deng Yu, head of freight business at Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd., the Chinese goods transported via the China-Laosrailway can be transshipped through Laos to other ASEAN countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Additionally, the Lao goods imported to China can reach 25 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, Deng added.

Driven by the China-Laos Railway, Southeast Asian countries are speeding up railway development and strategic coordination to enhance regional connectivity.

In July this year, the Thailand-Laos cross-border passenger train service began its operation, enhancing rail connectivity between Thailand and Laos while linking up with the China-Laos Railway; Thailand is speeding up the construction of the China-Thailand Railway;the ASEAN Express, an international freight train connecting Malaysia to Thailand, Laos and China, has already been launched, boosting Malaysia’s trade connectivity with China and Southeast Asia.

Malaysia is also advancing its East Coast Rail Linkproject, actively pursuing connections with Thailand’s high-speed rail network, and pushing for the construction of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail; and Indonesia is conducting the feasibility study for extending its Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway from Jakarta to Surabaya, the country’s second-largest city.

Surasit Thanadtang, director of the Thai-Chinese Strategic Research Center, National Research Council of Thailand, said that the railway network is enabling Southeast Asian countries to accelerate connectivity and access broader market opportunities.

“Greater regional connectivity helps reduce logistics costs, facilitates the movement of people, creates more developmentopportunities, and drives regional economic integration,” he said.

By Dong Siyu, People’s Daily

The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) kicked off in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 2 and will run until Dec. 13.

It marked the first time that China showcasedits achievements in desertification control, particularly throughthe Three-North Shelter Forest Program (TSFP), a major Chinese national initiative aimed at reversing land desertification.

So far, China has effectively rehabilitated 53 percent of its treatable desertified land, with the area of desertified land decreasing by 65 million mu (about 4.3 million hectares). It is the first country in the world to achieve zero growth in land degradation, and the first to reduce the area of desertified and sandy lands.

China is one of the countries most affected by desertification. It has long made the prevention of desert encroachment and sand control major tasksin its battle against desertification, said Huang Caiyi, head of the desertification control department of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

After over 40 years of unremitting efforts, China has made remarkable achievements in the battle against desertification, blazing a special path of desertification prevention and control with Chinese characteristics. Environmental conservation and improving people’s well-beinghave entered a virtuous cycle, and economic and social development as well as the ecological environment of the regions with desertification have seen tremendous changes. The country has become the largest contributor to global greening and a global model for desertification control.

The implementation of key projects has significantly improved the ecological conditions in desertified areas. “This year, the Chinese central government invested 32 billion yuan ($4.4 billion) and launched 287 major projects, focusing on the ecological restoration of 109 million mu (7.27 million hectares) of desertifiedand sandy land,” said Liu Bing, an official with China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

For instance, China has carried out major projects such as the TSFP, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei sandstorm source control project, and the project to enclose, protect and restore desertified lands, noted Huang. Thanks to these science-based measures, 5.38 million mu of desertified land have been sealed off for protection and 1.18 billion mu have been successfully restored, Huang added.

According to Huang, the forest coverage rate of the TSFP-covering areas has increased from 12.41 percent to 13.84 percent, and soil erosion has been effectively controlled on 61 percent of the affected land in China.

In the Yellow River Basin, the demarcation that distinguishes areas with vegetation from those devoid of it has moved about 300 kilometers westward. Over the past decade, the annual number of dusty and sandstorm-impacted spring days in north China has also dropped significantly.

By combining desert control with economic development, Chinese desert areas have made new progress in economic and social development.

“In China, local governments have adopted a coordinated approach to ecological protection and industrial development. They have leveraged the unique resources of desert areas to moderately develop industries such as medicinal herbs, high-quality forage, commercial forests and fruits, and desert tourism,” said Huang.

Production bases for forestry products, fruits, and woody oil crops have been established in regions like the Loess Plateau, Yanshan Mountains, and oases across northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, with an annual output of dried and fresh fruits amounting to 48 million tons, Huang added.

Technological innovation has also provided robust support for China’s desertification control endeavors, especially for the development of the TSFP.

For instance, China has taken water resources into consideration for green development and selected tree and grass species that are resistant to drought, poor soil, and wind for vegetation planting. It has established 26 desert ecosystem observation stations and 13 ground-based sandstorm monitoring stations to conduct investigations and surveillance of forest, grassland, and wetland ecosystems.

Besides, China has been rapidly developing mechanized and intelligent technologies for sand prevention and control, and widely applying such equipment and technologies as sand compaction machinery, shrub pruning machines, and drone-based aerial seeding.

Desertification is a common challenge faced by all humanity, and tackling desertification is a long-term and arduous task. This year marks the 30th anniversary of China’s adoption of the UNCCD.

“China has been diligently fulfilling its responsibilities and obligations under the UNCCD. It has established an office for UNCCD implementation, formulated a national action plan, and has been actively involved in global desertification control,” said Huang.

“The TSFPhas been recognized in the Global 500 Roll of Honour for Environmental Achievementby the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The UNCCD Secretariat has also twice honored China for its ‘outstanding contribution to combating desertification,’ praising its significant contributions to global desertification control,” Huang noted.

Huang explained that since adopting the UNCCD, China has set up regional mechanisms to facilitate its implementation. Many significant events have been hosted, such as the Asian ministerial conference on desertification and the Asia-Africa desertification control meeting, to promote regional cooperation on desertification prevention and control.

China has also launched campaigns to raise public awareness of combating desertification worldwide, proposed and facilitated the adoption of resolutions at the Conference of the Parties, designated annual global themes for desertification and drought, and organized commemorative activities. China also hostedthe COP 13 to the UNCCD and achieved fruitful outcomes.

“Moving forward, China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration will continue strengthening prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of key ecological projects, including the TSFP. It will also continueto diligently fulfill the obligations under the UNCCD, contributing China’s strength to global desertification control,” said Huang.

By Deng Jianyang, People’s Daily

China’s first large-scale production line for civil aviation tireshas recently been completed and put into operation in Guilin, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Within the production line, large machines run automatically and smart logistics vehicles shuttled back and forth.The Chinese independently produced civil aviation tires gradually took shape after dozens of production processes, including mixing, calendering, extrusion, and cutting.

“This is the first digitalized facility for producing civil aviation tires in China. With an area of nearly 50,000 square meters,it is equipped with over 80 high-end machines and an advanced digital and information system to fully automate the production, scheduling and monitoring of aviation tires,” said Lu Hengyu, an executive with Guilin Lanyu AircraftTire Development, a subsidiary of China’s leading chemical enterprise Sinochem Holdings.

Lu said that the facility has an annual production capacity of 100,000 aviation tires, which can fulfill 40 percent of annual demand for civil aviation tires in China.

As a key component that determines the safety of aircraft operations, aviation tires are crucial during takeoff, landing, taxiing, turning, and braking, making them the main consumables in civil aviation.

There are thousands of tire manufacturers worldwide, but only around 10 of them can produce aviation tires. At present, 98% of tires used by Chinese civil aviation flights are imported from other countries. Why is it so difficult to produce aviation tires?

“Aviation tires have extremely high demands for safety and reliability. That’s why they are considered the technological ‘pinnacle’ in the tire industry. Take payload as an example: a single tire can support over 40 tonnes of load, which is much greater than what a typical ground tire can manage,” said Qin Qifu, a senior engineer with Guilin Lanyu AircraftTire Development.

“They are also subject to stringent requirements regardingtheir weight, ability to withstand fatigue, landing cycles, and operational safety, among others. To achieve large-scale production, we had to addresschallenges related to the stability of product quality and production capacity,” Qin said.

Fortunately, long-term efforts in research and innovation have finally enabled the company to achieve breakthroughsin relevant technologies.

According to Lu, his research team has spent many years developing civil aviation tires, made numerous breakthroughs and gained valuable experience in innovating raw materials, internal structure, production techniques, and airworthiness testing.

“We have been strengthening cooperation with universities and research institutes to jointly tackle key technological challenges,” Lu said.

As a critical material for civil aviation tire production, aramid fibers had long been monopolized by foreign companies, said Lu.”In collaboration with Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Sinochem High Performance Fiber Materials Co., Ltd., we have produced high-strength aramid fibers that outperform imported materials and successfully applied them in aviation tires,” Lu added.

In tandem with the production line, China launchedits first aviation tire takeoff and landing testing platform on November 23,capable of simulating complex operating conditions.

This platform can simulate takeoff and landing tests for civil aviation tires under complex conditions, such as ultra-high acceleration takeoff, ultra-high loading rates, and damage caused by foreign objects, Lu explained. “It fills a gap in the testing capabilities for aviation tires in China and effectively ensures the reliability and safety of aviation tires,” added Lu.

Recently, Guilin Lanyu Aircraft Tire Development unveiled12 specifications of civil aviation tires for sixaircraft models.The tires all possess complete independent intellectual propertyrights and cover 80 percent of the accessory types used by China’s civil aviation fleet.

“Our C909 tire, after more than a year of trial use, has already been put into commercial usein airlines including China Southern Airlines. It has completed over 10,000 takeoffs and landings, with acycle life that surpasses imported alternatives,” Qin said.

Data suggested that by the end of last year, China’s civil aviation industry boasted a fleet of 4,270 aircraft, an increase of 105from 2022.

In recent years, China’s aviation tire industry has made significant strides in technological innovation and industrial upgrading. Several Chinese companies have successfully developed high-performance aviation tires and obtained relevant certifications.

By Aerdake, People’s Daily

The Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China, has been completely encircled by a green belt stretching 3,046 kilometers on Nov. 28, according to the Xinjiang regional forestry and grassland bureau.

Covering 337,600 square km with a circumferenceof 3,046 km, the TaklimakanDesertlies between the Tianshan and the Kunlun mountains. It is the world’s second-largest drifting desert, stretchingabout 1,000 km east to west and 400 km north to south.

It has taken more than 40 years to fully enclose the desert with a green belt. By the end of 2023, a 2,761-km-long green belt had been built, leaving only 285 km unfinished, which is also the most challenging section. Followed by arduous efforts, the final stretch was fully bridged on Nov. 28, creating a complete ecological shield around the desert.

Xinjiang’s Hotan prefecture, located on the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, is surrounded by sand on three sides. It was the region most affected by sandstormsin southern Xinjiang, and thereby faced the biggest challenge in sand control.

After taking a range of targeted measures such as making grass grids, the sandstorm-prone area has managed to contain the desert’s expansion. The expansive grass grids now resemble vast nets that anchor the shifting dunes. Up close, desert shrubs such as saxaul and tamarisk sway gently in the wind, thriving within the grids.

According to Wang Zhenxi, an official with the Xinjiang regional forestry and grassland bureau, the shifting dunes in the Taklimakan Desert covers about 258,400 square km, with wind speeds often exceeding level 8. The desert receives less than 80 millimeters of rainfall annually, which makes it one of the driest areas in the world.

Thanks to more than four decades of efforts as part of China’s Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, the world’s largest afforestation program to tackle desertification,Xinjiang has made great achievements in sand control.

Itsforest coverage rate has increased to 5.06 percent from only 1.03 percent in 1978. The area of artificial oases has grown from 65,000 square km to 100,000 square km over the past 30 years, an increase of about 54 percent.

According to China’s sixth national survey of desertification and land degradation conducted in 2022, the desertified and sandy land areas in Xinjiang decreased by 1,956 square km and 242.82 square km respectively.

However, the remaining sandy land poses even greater challenges due to severe desertification and poorer soil conditions. To tackle these arduous challenges, Xinjiang has introduced a comprehensive plan to fortify the edges of the Taklimakan Desert. The plan covers a total treatment area of 32.658 million mu (about 2.18 million hectares) with an estimated investment of 12.355 billion yuan ($1.7 billion) and is set to continue until 2030.

“We will take steps including afforestation, grass planting, and engineering measures to fix sand so that we can lock the desert’s edges, and build protective forest and grass belts to contain the desert’s expansion. We have also launched targeted projects in sandstorm source areas to mitigate the impact of wind and sand,” Wang explained.

“Within oases, we will bridge the gaps in shelterbelts and address blank spots in desertification control. The ultimate goal is to achieve ‘wind prevention, sand blockage, and dust control,’ so as to improve the overall ecological environment,” Wang said.

By fostering the entire industrial chain and seeking diversified approaches to development, Xinjiang has achieved the integrated development of desert ecology and sand industry.

In Hotan prefecture, Yutian county has established a complete industrial chain for cistanche deserticola, commonly known as desert-broomrape, and an industrial park for desert rose, boostingincome for farmers. In Cele county, red dates are cultivated according to local conditions, with lush orchards forming green barriers that shield villages from encroaching sand.

Statistics show that Xinjiang now boasts 1.845 million mu of specialized commercial crops in desert areas, with the sand sector’s annual output value reaching 4.37 billion yuan.

With the successful completion of the green barrier, this region, once plagued by harsh sandstorms, is set to embrace renewed vitality and flourishing ecosystems.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

The largest desert in China, the Taklimakan has been completely encircled by a green belt stretching 3,046 km as of late November, thanks to more than four decades of efforts as part of China’s Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), the world’s largest afforestation program to tackle desertification.

This great achievement has capturedworldwide attention. The international community observes that the TSFP has not only contributed to the global combat against desertification, but also increased the global forest coverage rate. They praised the program as the “green Great Wall” that China fortifies to fend off the challenges arising from climate change.

The Taklimakan Desert is China’s largest and the world’s second-largest drifting desert. The completion of the ecological barrier vividly demonstrates China’s battle against desertification.

After over 40 years of unremitting efforts, China has blazed a special path of desertification prevention and control with Chinese characteristics. Environmental conservation and improving people’s well-beinghave entered a virtuous cycle. The country has become a global model for desertification control.

So far, China has effectively rehabilitated 53 percent of its treatable desertified land, with the area of desertified land decreasing by 65 million mu (about 4.3 million hectares). It is the first country in the world to achieve zero growth in land degradation, and the first to reduce the area of desertified and sandy land.

To be specific, Saihanba innorth China’s Hebei province has transformed from a desolate land into the world’s largest man-made forest, thanks to the dedication of three generations of foresters to the Saihanba afforestation project; most of the sand land in the Mu Us Desert, which stretches from north China’sInner Mongolia autonomous region to Shaanxi province, has been brought under control; the Kubuqi Desert, China’s seventh-largest desert, has explored a brand new approach to combating desertification through industrial development.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Secretariat has twice honored China for its “outstanding contribution to combating desertification”, praising its significant contributions to global desertification control.

The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UNCCD held in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, set up the China Pavilion, which marked the first time that China showcased its achievements in desertification control, particularly throughthe TSFP.

“I was moved by the images of different generations of Chinese people fighting desertification and by China’s leadership in this process,” saidAndrea Meza Murillo, UNCCD deputy executive secretary.

She emphasized that effective policies, community and local government involvement, as well as innovation and technology, are key components of China’s success.

The achievements in desertification control reflect China’s relentless efforts to advance ecological conservation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the country has ensured stronger ecological conservation and environmental protection across the board, in all regions, and at all times.

China has achieved a significant transformation from remediation of major areas to systematic governance; realized an important shift from passively responding to ecological issues to taking proactive actions to address them; has become a leader from a participant in global environmental governance; and has realized a major shift from practical-exploration-based conservation to the one with theoretical guidance.

China’s forest coverage ratio and forest stock volume have both been on the rise for 40 consecutive years. The country ranks first in the world in terms of forest resource growth and afforestation area. It has contributed to one forth of the world’s newly added green areas.

China is also contributing to the global fight against desertification with firm and concrete actions.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of China’s adoption of the UNCCD. Over the past three decades, China has been actively involved in global desertification governance within the framework of UNCCD.

It promoted the establishment of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC), setting up the strategic framework and objectives; established an office for UNCCD implementation and formulated a national action plan; and set up regional mechanisms to promote regional cooperation on UNCCD fulfillment.

Besides, China hostedthe COP 13 to the UNCCD and carried out cooperation on desertification control within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It has held nine sessions of the Kubuqi International Desert Forum to promote international policy dialogue and exchanges.

China is also actively sharing its technologies and experiences of desertification control with other developing countries, pursuing green development together with the Global South.

It has established an international training center and an international knowledge management centeron combating desertification together with the UNCCD Secretariat. Besides, the country trains nearly 100 professionals in this field each year for developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, by hosting international seminars and setting up demonstration bases for desertification control.

It has taken the initiative to align with the Great Green Wall initiative launched by the African Union and the Saudi Arabia-led Middle East Green Initiative,within the frameworks of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF). It has also established the China-Arab International Research Center on Drought, Desertification, and Land Degradation.

The prevention and control of desertification is a great cause bearing on the sustainable development of all humanity. China will keep acting as a participant and leader in global desertification control, and work with all parties to advance ecological conservation and promote sustainable development for a clean and beautiful world.