China completes 3,000 km green belt around Taklamakan Desert

China has announced the completion of a 3,000 km vegetation belt surrounding the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. This milestone marks the closing of the final 100-meter gap on the southern edge of the desert.

The project is part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Program, often referred to as the ‘Green Great Wall,’ which began in 1978. The initiative aims to create ecological barriers to stabilize sand, mitigate strong winds, and prevent desert expansion into residential areas, farmland, and infrastructure. Estimates suggest that approximately 66 billion trees have been planted through this broader program to combat desertification in northern China.

Despite the completion of the belt, maintaining the vegetation remains a significant challenge. Due to the harsh conditions in Xinjiang—including low rainfall, low humidity, saline soil, and limited water resources—engineers have had to experiment with various drought-resistant and salt-tolerant species to ensure long-term survival.