Sunshine Magazine (Hong Kong) and Outlook China Magazine:
China's progress in environmental protection has been well-recognized by the public since General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the concept of building a "beautiful China" and launching an all-out fight to keep our skies blue, our waters clear, and our land pollution-free. What progress have we made in regard to desert control? Thank you.
Li Ganjie:
Thank you for your question. Generally speaking, environmental protection involves two main aspects -- pollution prevention and ecological protection and restoration. Your question is concerned with the latter aspect. There are five large deserts along the Yellow River as I remember, namely the well-known Tengger, Badain Jaran, Mu Us, Kubuqi, and Ulan Buh Desert. Desert control has been strengthened and we have had marked achievements over the years.
Since the PRC was founded in 1949, the case of Mu Us Desert has become a highlight in our efforts in desert control. It has transformed into oases nowadays. A similar case can also be found in the Kubuqi Desert, the control of which should be firstly attributed to Elion Resources Group. Its CEO, Mr. Wang Wenbiao, was awarded "Champion of the Earth" in 2017 for Elion's remarkable progress and valuable experience in desert control.
I believe that as long as we are determined, and with the support of science and technology, our work on desert ecological protection and restoration is certain to produce more effective and remarkable results.
