March 12 marks China's Tree-Planting Day, a time to embrace nature and sow hope for a greener future.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the country has completed afforestation covering more than 1.1 billion mu (about 73 million hectares), contributing roughly 25% of the world's newly added green areas. China's total forest area has now reached 3.614 billion mu.

According to the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, China added an average of 1.69 million hectares of forest annually between 2015 and 2025, the largest and fastest increase in forest coverage worldwide.

A key driver of this progress is the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, also known as China's "Green Great Wall." Launched in 1978, the world's largest afforestation initiative aims to combat desertification across 13 provinces in northwest, north and northeast China and is scheduled for completion in 2050.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the project entered a crucial stage of high-quality development, with 349 million mu of construction tasks completed. Over the past two years, more than 415 projects have been implemented, covering over 200 million mu.

A series of landmark results have emerged. The shifting sands of the Hunshandake region have been effectively contained; the Horqin sandy land is gradually restoring its savanna-like landscape; greening efforts in the "J-shaped bend" of the Yellow River have accelerated, with sand retreating; and a growing green protective belt has begun to take shape along the edges of the Taklimakan Desert. The project was also listed among the world's top 10 engineering achievements of 2025.

Driven by the Three-North program, China has stepped up efforts to comprehensively curb desertification. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the country treated about 152 million mu of desertified land and placed 27.936 million mu under protection. China has continued to reduce both desertified and sandy land areas and is the first country to achieve zero growth in land degradation.

In October last year, the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program received the Achievement Award from FAO in recognition of its contributions to agricultural production, food security, poverty reduction and income growth.

According to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the award reflects international recognition of China's achievements in ecological governance and innovative forestry practices, highlighting the country's role in promoting global sustainable development.

Looking ahead, the program will enter a sprint phase during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). According to Lei Jiaqiang, a researcher at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the sixth phase of the project will cover 740 million mu and focus on integrated management of sand, water and mountains across 10 cross-regional coordination zones.