Chinese vice-premier urges greater efforts to combat desertification

HOHHOT -- Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng has called for greater efforts and more pragmatic measures to achieve further key results in the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), which is the world's largest afforestation initiative and tackles desertification in the northwestern, northern and northeastern parts of China.

He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks on Tuesday at a meeting on advancing desertification control for the meandering bends of the Yellow River in Bayannuur, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The Yellow River is China's second-longest river -- after the Yangtze. The areas near the meandering bends of the Yellow River are among the three key areas for the promotion of desertification control under the TSFP.

The vice-premier also visited the sites of a water conservancy project, a quicksand control project along the Yellow River, and a new energy storage project.

Noting at the meeting that significant progress has been made in advancing the TSFP over the past two years, He said that the project is now at a critical stage, and stressed the need to recognize the current situation and its challenges, and to steadfastly implement strategic plans.

The TSFP was launched in 1978 and is set to conclude by 2050, aiming to restore green areas prone to desertification in the "three norths."

By 2030, the country aims to achieve significant desertification control results through the TSFP in three regions: the Hexi Corridor-Taklimakan Desert region, the two sandy lands of Horqin and Hunshandake, and the areas near the meandering bends of the Yellow River.