Ordos a leader in desertification efforts

Inner Mongolia city setting new standards in green empowerment

Ordos, one of the 12 major subdivisions of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has wowed international visitors with its advanced efforts in green practices for fighting desertification, along with other achievements in modern development.

A group photo of a media tour in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, taking place on Sept 27-28. LIU YANAN/FOR CHINA DAILY

Diplomats, think tank scholars and journalists from China and abroad got a first-hand sense of the city's charm and its progress in socioeconomic and green development during a Sept 27-28 media tour themed "Green Empowerment and Creating a Future Together: Practices of Chinese Modernization in Ordos".

"It's the first time we have come to Inner Mongolia. I didn't expect to see such a beautiful, open and modern city," said Salvador Moncada, ambassador of Honduras to China.

An aerial view of the Dalad Photovoltaic Power Base in Dalad Banner. LIU YANAN/FOR CHINA DAILY

The Dalad Photovoltaic Power Base in the middle of the Kubuqi Desert in Dalad Banner was a highlight of the tour.

"After spending several hours there, I realized that Ordos is a city with enormous potential in terms of green energy, protecting ecosystems, fighting desertification, and so on. It has enormous potential for helping to shape the future in China," Moncada said.

The base, which is a sand control and wind-solar photovoltaic integrated engineering project, has a construction scale of 1 million kilowatts and is only 15 kilometers north of the Yellow River. It serves as a national demonstration base for photovoltaic power generation and incentives, as well as a strategic breakthrough for Dalad Banner to promote long-term ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin.

"It is remarkable to see the scale and energy output of the photovoltaic base, as well as the significant strides made in combating desertification and promoting sustainable agriculture in the region," noted Moncada, adding: "The eco-management in all those regions is very impressive, which is a lesson to the world."

As one of the developments in the Kubuqi Desert "Photovoltaic Great Wall" project that Ordos is currently planning and constructing, the photovoltaic base was completed in two phases, with full grid connection and power generation achieved throughout. It generates up to 2 billion kilowatt hours of green electricity each year, and saves 680,000 metric tons of standard coal annually.

Children play at the Xiangshawan Desert in Ordos, which is a tourist resort in Dalad Banner. CHINA DAILY

The project goes beyond its original model by integrating photovoltaic power, ecological management, organic farming and forestry, and desert tourism. It also includes the development of desert research and study tours, photovoltaic pastoral scenery, and ecological animal husbandry. The project has restored 1,400 hectares of land and planted 1,267 hectares of economic crops, and has planned a 40-hectare ecological landscape area.

"I think this kind of infrastructure can really help fight desertification and improve the fight against climate change and improve the ecosystem of the globe, especially for arid regions," said Akinwale Ogunrinde, associate researcher at the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "I believe the neighboring cities are also benefiting from these projects. Other arid regions in the world need to come and learn about the technologies and infrastructures here in Ordos to improve their environment and go on the path of sustainability."

Foreign journalists and officials feel a piece of cashmere in Erdos Group's factory during a tour in Ordos. LIU YANAN/FOR CHINA DAILY

Hailed as the "cashmere capital", the Erdos Modern Cashmere Industrial Park led by local cashmere manufacturer Erdos Group stands as an iconic landmark. Founded in 1980, Erdos Group, a giant in the deep processing of cashmere, has grown from a local production and processing enterprise to an industry leader, with over 70 billion yuan ($9.98 billion) in total assets over the past four decades.

The company has more than 40,000 employees, and its annual production and sales capacity exceeds 10 million pieces, accounting for 40 percent of the Chinese market and 30 percent of the global market.

The cashmere industrial park features a 400-hectare scenic area with functions such as an integrated cashmere production system, a national cashmere engineering and technology research and development center, administrative offices, product exhibition and sales, employee living quarters and cultural entertainment, among other facilities. Equipped with advanced technology focused on environmental protection, this new type of industrial park has become a demonstration site for industrial tourism in the city and the region.

"This is my first time visiting Ordos, and the warm reception from local people has deeply touched me," said Maria dos Ramos, minister counselor and deputy head of mission of the Embassy of Venezuela.

"The cashmere factory is unparalleled in the world. All the products are of top quality and the cashmere fabric is very comfortable to the touch.

"The factory has more than 40,000 employees, which means that Ordos has made great contributions to pushing forward China's development and promoting China to become a modern, socialist and advanced country by leading its enterprises, employees and factories," Ramos said.

The verdant scenery of Kangbashi district of Ordos. CHINA DAILY

The media tour also visited the Ulan Mulun Lake in Kangbashi district, witnessing the magnificent musical fountain in Ordos.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn