This good news surprised many internet users, who had thought that China and India, two populous Asian neighbors, were suffering or would suffer land degradation caused by over-exploitation. Even NASA itself called the finding "counterintuitive." An article published in the journal Nature Sustainability explained that the effect comes mostly from intensive agriculture in both countries and productive tree-planting programs in China.

China launched its National Forestry and Grassland Administration last year, as part of the institutional reform process. Over the past seven decades since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the administration in charge of national forestry affairs has changed its name several times, from the Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation to the Ministry of the Forestry Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the State Forestry Administration, etc. Its original names suggest that, in the period of socialist construction when China needed to tap its vast resources, the administration mainly undertook the tasks of developing and utilizing forests.

Today, the focus is more on forest protection and restoration, and taking a more scientific, systematic, holistic and forward-looking approach. Relevant efforts have been made on many fronts, including knowledge diffusion, scientific research, planning, industrial support and individual subsidy. As a result, the people who once cut down trees now plant them, and many deserts have been turned into forests. At present, China's total forest coverage has reached 207.69 million hectares, or 21.6 percent of the land area.

A Chinese proverb says, "We shouldn't squander the fortune left by our ancestors or make trouble for future generations." What we are doing today to promote afforestation will benefit the generations to come. In the film "The Wandering Earth," which we discussed in the last episode, humanity has started a journey that will last 2,500 years or 100 generations to save the Earth. The Chinese people really have the resolve to protect their homeland for subsequent generations. Moreover, the Earth is not as damaged as the film depicts, but rather a beautiful planet. To protect it deserves the efforts of everyone.

Words are but wind, but seeing is believing. Data and satellite images may fail to make an intuitive impression. So, we welcome friends from around the world here to feel a "greener" China.

China Mosaic

http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

China, India lead the way in making the Earth greener

http://www.china.org.cn/video/2019-02/28/content_74514489.htm

About China.org.cn

Founded in 2000, China Internet Information Center (China.org.cn/China.com.cn) is a key state news website under the auspices of the State Council Information Office, and is managed by China International Publishing Group. We provide round-the-clock news service in ten languages. With users from more than 200 countries and regions, we have become China's leading multi-lingual news outlet introducing the country to the outside world.



We are one of the country's authoritative outlets for government press releases and are authorized to cover various major events. "Live Webcast" is our online webcasting service to present State Council Information Office press conferences in both Chinese and English languages. We are reputed for timely and accurate delivery of news and information, and wide interactions with audiences. In addition, we are authorized to publish and live broadcast major events and press conferences of ministries, local government agencies and institutions as well as enterprises.



In the era of mobile internet, we endeavor to create an array of products for mobile devices headed by the multilingual WAP platform and the mobile APP. We also use Chinese and international social media to publish information for different user groups.



In the future, CIIC will continue to offer authoritative information about China, tell China's stories, voice China's opinions, and introduce a vivid, panoramic and multicultural China to the world through multi-language, multi-media and multi-platforms.



SOURCE China.org.cn