Ronald Sakolsky, an American friend who has supported China's efforts to combat desertification, arrived in Beijing in the early hours of August 23. From August 23 to September 1, he will visit Beijing, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Henan Province, continuing a decades-long friendship that has bridged China and the United States.

Twenty-seven years ago, Ronald Sakolsky saw nothing but desert when he first learned about Yin Yuzhen's fight against desertification. He never imagined the trees she planted by hand would one day grow into a forest. Now, as he prepares to reunite with Yin, Sakolsky calls her a hero and says her story carries a message far beyond the desert: if two people can cross cultural barriers, so can many more.