Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
SHIJIAZHUANG -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday visited a forest farm in North China's Hebei province where he stressed the importance of developing the green economy and furthering ecological progress.
During his inspection tour of the Saihanba forest farm, Xi learned about the management and protection of the farm, as well as Hebei's coordinated efforts in conserving its mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands, and desertification control. Xi also visited forest rangers.
Xi then went to a forest named after Wang Shanghai, a late official of the farm. Xi checked the growth of the trees and learned about the promotion of the Saihanba spirit and the high-quality development of the farm.
Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
The Saihanba forest farm, on the province's northern tip, was a bountiful royal hunting ground during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but turned into a sprawling desert because of excessive logging, which also caused sand storms threatening Beijing and adjacent regions
In 1962, hundreds forest workers from 18 provincial regions across the country embarked on tree planting in Saihanba to change the tide of rapid desertification.
After three generations' hard efforts, the farm's afforested area almost quintupled over the past 59 years. The forest coverage rate jumped from just 11.4 percent to 82 percent during that period.
The mind-boggling effort to afforest Saihanba has turned a desert into a sea of trees, winning the farm the United Nations Environment Program's Champions of the Earth Award in 2017.
Xinhua contributed to the story
Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
Greening the land, improving ecosystem are goals
Over the years, China has made great efforts to green its vast land and improve the ecological environment.
In June, the State Council issued a guideline on scientific measures in afforestation. It urges efforts to grow trees and grass following the inherent rules of the ecosystem to improve the stability of the ecosystem and its capacity for self-repair.
Xi has on many occasions called for more afforestation efforts and protecting forest resources.
According to forestry and grassland authorities, the country has curbed the expansion of desertification, with the area of deserts shrinking by an annual average of 2,424 square kilometers.
Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
Xi Jinping visits the Saihanba forest farm in North China's Hebei province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
