Since the Taklimakan Desert achieved full border sealing on November 28, 2024, Xinjiang has continued advancing its ecological project from “sealing the edge” to “expanding the edge.” As of November 26, twenty-one key counties and cities around the desert have added 9.3822 million mu of new protective green belts, widening the existing barrier by 110 to 7,500 meters. The desert’s “green collar” has grown significantly thicker, further strengthening the region’s ecological foundation.
The closure of the 3,046-kilometer green shelterbelt—now the world’s longest ring-shaped desert barrier—marked a major achievement in global desertification control. Following this milestone, Xinjiang entered a new phase of “edge expansion and greening.” Centered on the “one circle, two zones, three lines” strategy, key areas such as Yutian, Minfeng, and Pishan are expanding windbreak and sand-fixation belts based on local wind conditions while enhancing the protection and restoration of forests, grasslands, wetlands, and desert ecosystems.
Over the past year, localities have explored diverse and replicable desert-control models. Shaya County introduced a new approach combining distributed photovoltaic energy, extraction of saline groundwater, and afforestation; Ruoqiang County implemented an “interval-based” sand control method; and Yuli County developed an integrated system of engineering, biological, and sand-based industry solutions. Supported by regional policies on funding, water use, and land access, broad participation from enterprises and farmers has accelerated both greening efforts and the growth of Xinjiang’s sand-based industries.
Currently, Xinjiang has 10.8341 million mu of sand-grown economic crops, with more than 364 processing enterprises generating an output value of 28.975 billion yuan. As “expansion and greening” continues, the ecological landscape around the Taklimakan Desert is steadily improving, and the surrounding oasis defense line is becoming increasingly resilient.
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