Global Desert Control: China's Kubuqi desert serves as model for B&R Countries

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Fighting against desertification is the common goal shared by the world, and China's Kubuqi desert is offering its own solution. This comes as the 7th KUBUQI international desert forum kicks off on Saturday. Chinese President Xi Jinping and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sent congratulatory letters to the biennial forum. CGTN reporter Wang Mengzhen has more.

From a poor herdsman to a tree planting expert in KUBUQI desert.

Gao Maohu is now leading fellows into the huge land restoration project involving some 10 thousand locals.

Known as China's 7th largest desert located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Kubuqi was once called "the sea of death".

As Gao recalls, this involves decades of struggles and exploration.

GAO MAOHU, RESIDENT KUBUQI DESERT "I was among the first batch of herdsmen led by the government and the company Elion to plant trees in large scale but at first the survival rate of these plants were quite low. Gradually, we explored new technologies such as minimally invasive air-pressed planting, drone-based planting and biology-based soil improvement."

But within 30 years, they've reclaimed desert area of over 6,000 square kilometers, and the vegetation coverage now takes up more than half of the vast desert. In the process, over 100 thousand locals have been lift out of poverty.

WANG MENGZHEN KUBUQI DESERT "Combining desertification control with economic growth and integrating the efforts of the government, private companies and local residents, that's what the KUBUQI MODEL is all about."

And now the desert is seeking more green collaboration, especially among countries along the belt and road for the ongoing international desert forum.

SUN CHUNLAN VICE PREMIER OF CHINA "Through platforms like the Belt and Road desert control system, China will offer assistance to other developing nations without any additional political conditions, contributing more to global desertification prevention."

So, what could other countries learn from Kubuqi?

Gao Maohu says he has visited many deserts in China to share his experience and in future, he's willing to go further, passing on Kubuqi's wisdom to the rest of the world. WMZ. CGTN, KUBUQI DESERT, Inner Mongolia Autonomous region.