China's Xinjiang moves to protect Gobi Desert with landmark regulation

URUMQI -- Authorities in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have introduced a new legal framework to safeguard the Gobi, a vital part of the desert ecosystem.

On Saturday, the city of Hami enacted Xinjiang's first local regulation aimed at protecting the Gobi Desert, marking a major step in the region's broader efforts to combat desertification through legal measures.

The new regulation requires that city and county governments in Hami develop a comprehensive ecological protection plan with clear conservation and restoration targets. It also mandates that construction, tourism, and commercial activities within the Gobi align with these guidelines to prevent environmental degradation, said Li Qiang, deputy head of the standing committee of the Hami people's congress.

Experts noted that the Gobi's gravel layer serves as a natural barrier against desertification. If disturbed, dormant dust sources could become active, intensifying sandstorms across the region.

The Gobi Desert in Hami covers 94,600 square km, accounting for about 66 percent of the city's total area, according to Hami's bureau of ecology and environment.

In August 2023, Hami launched an environmental project aimed at evaluating and restoring the Gobi Desert. Scientists from Nanjing city in East China collaborated on the initiative, which also helped advance the birth of the regulation.

Xinjiang has long prioritized environmental conservation. In late November, the Taklimakan, China's largest desert and the world's second-largest drifting desert, was completely encircled with a sand-blocking green belt stretching 3,046 km.