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China's largest desert fully encircled with green belt

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      China

      China

      China's largest desert fully encircled with green belt

      2024-11-28 22:04 Last Updated At:22:37

      The Taklimakan Desert, known as the "Sea of Death," has been completely encircled with a sand-blocking green belt stretching 3,046 km, said local authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

      On Thursday morning, several tree species, including Populus euphratica (more commonly known as "desert poplar"), sacsaoul and red willow, were planted on sandy land in Yutian County on the southern edge of the desert, marking the completion of the final stretch of the green belt, according to the Xinjiang regional forestry and grassland bureau.

      The Taklimakan covers 337,600 square kilometers and its circumference measures 3,046 km, making it the largest desert in China and the second-largest drifting desert in the world.

      It has taken more than 40 years to fully enclose the desert with a green belt. By the end of 2023, a nearly completed belt connected scattered oases, leaving only the final, most challenging section.

      This final stretch, approximately 285 kilometers long, runs through the southern part of the desert and faces the most severe wind and sand hazards. Since this year, Xinjiang has taken targeted and scientific measures to close this gap.

      "This section in our county accounts for 77 percent of the 285 kilometers of the unprotected desert area and the task is extremely challenging. By mobilizing the people and combining engineering and biological methods for desert control, we have successfully completed the encirclement today," said Deng Xiaobo, Party secretary of Hotan Prefecture Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Xinjiang.

      Alongside the green belt, efforts have been made to promote the development of sand-terrain industries, such as the growing of cistanche, a desert plant used in Chinese herbal medicine, and other crops, to benefit local residents.

      "Next, we will continue to expand the width of the protective barrier, focusing on creating a haul of landmark projects for sand prevention and control and firmly lock the Taklimakan Desert in place to prevent the spread of sand sources," said Wang Gang, deputy director of the desertification control division under Xinjiang Regional Forestry and Grassland Bureau.

      The Taklimakan Desert control project is a part of China's Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), the world's largest afforestation program to tackle desertification.

      The TSFP was launched in 1978 and is scheduled to be completed by 2050.

      In June 2023, China proposed to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China.

      Since 1978, China has expanded its afforestation area by 32 million hectares under the TSFP. The afforestation area under the program is projected to encompass over 4 million square kilometers across 13 provincial-level regions by 2050, accounting for 42.4 percent of the country's total land area.

      Over the past 46 years, the forest coverage rate of the TSFP-covering areas has risen from 5.05 percent to 13.84 percent. Progress has been made in desertification and soil erosion control, while about 30 million hectares of farmland have been protected.

      China's largest desert fully encircled with green belt

      China's largest desert fully encircled with green belt

      Foreign companies are increasingly establishing research and development (R and D) centers in China, a key strategy for deeper market integration, according to industry leaders and trade associations.

      A recent survey by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China on its members found that over half of responding companies plan to boost their R and D investments, drawn by the advantages of China's vast and well-connected market.

      Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, emphasized that the country's strong foundation in high-end manufacturing and its massive market provide clear value in terms of local development, production, and sales.

      "I think in China you still find some of the most cost-effective, highly productive supply chains around the world, and I think Chinese manufacturing competitiveness is an extremely strong point," said Eskelund.

      China's high-end manufacturing and market potential recently attracted a business delegation from Germany. The delegation from the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) visited Suzhou City of east China's Jiangsu Province to explore new projects and business opportunities.

      One of the delegation's leaders highlighted the association's opening of a new academy in China, which is designed to train high-caliber professionals.

      "It's very impressive to see how many German companies really are engaged here. So it's really amazing, especially to see that there's a vibrant cluster of companies supporting each other, cooperating with Chinese partners as well, which is very important for the next investment in the next steps," said Achim Dercks, deputy managing director of DIHK.

      According to a report by Kearney, a Chicago-based global management consulting firm, China has climbed from the seventh place to the third in foreign direct investment confidence rankings for the next three years, topping the list of emerging markets.

      Foreign firms eye for more development and research investment in China market for greater presence

      Foreign firms eye for more development and research investment in China market for greater presence

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