Autumn blankets the vast cotton fields in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in white. Powerful machines roll across the fields, harvesting cotton with remarkable efficiency. In 2025, Xinjiang produced 6.165 million tonnes of cotton, accounting for about 23% of the world's total output. Satellite-guided planting, water-saving irrigation and mechanized harvesting are transforming the way this essential crop is grown.