On June 19, the Desertification Control Training Program in Chad, organized by China’s Ministry of Commerce and hosted by the Management Cadre College of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, was successfully held, with over 30 Chadian officials and experts participating. Due to climatic and geographical conditions, desertification remains a severe issue in Chad, necessitating urgent large-scale mitigation efforts. During the program, participants visited Yinchuan, Ningxia—a city renowned as the “Jiangnan of the North” that once suffered from severe sand erosion. However, from the edge of the Mu Us Sandy Land to the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains, comprehensive management measures such as wheat straw grid sand fixation and shrub afforestation have established multiple ecological barriers, transforming the former desert into a green homeland suitable for living and thriving.
During the field visit, the Chadian participants witnessed firsthand the remarkable achievements of China’s desertification control efforts. Within the greenhouses, water flowed gently, while perch and carp swam leisurely; the wastewater from aquaculture systems circulated to nourish tomatoes, cucumbers, and leafy vegetables, creating an ecological cycle where fish enrich the water and water irrigates crops—smart equipment regulates the environment in real time, achieving dual-purpose utilization of water resources and integrating crop cultivation with aquaculture, vividly demonstrating the vitality of circular agriculture. Nanduba David, head of Chad’s agricultural department, remarked with admiration: “China has transformed some inhospitable regions into habitable areas. We hope to introduce China’s mature management expertise and technologies as soon as possible and apply them locally to benefit more Chadian citizens.” Sharif, Deputy Director of Animal Feed, Prevention, and Livestock Crisis Management at Chad’s Ministry of Animal Husbandry, added: “This training program has enabled us to gain a deep understanding of China’s innovative achievements in combating desertification. China is a vital partner for Chad, and we look forward to expanding cooperation between our two countries in agriculture and environmental governance to achieve shared development.” At the closing ceremony of the workshop, Mahamat Hading, an official from Chad’s Ministry of Environment, Fisheries, and Sustainable Development, summarized: “The courses provided us with profound insights into sustainable land management, restoration of degraded areas, afforestation, and desertification control. This was not only a exchange of technical knowledge but also a forging of friendship.” These heartfelt words reflect the high recognition and genuine expectations of developing countries toward China’s governance experience.
The experience China has accumulated in the field of desertification control has never been a closed “secret recipe,” but rather a public good available to the entire world, especially developing countries. Barron Joseph Auer, Chief Scientist of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, clearly stated that while advancing its own efforts in desertification control and land restoration, China also shares governance concepts, technologies, and practical experiences with countries facing similar challenges through international cooperation, particularly South-South cooperation. Behind this open approach lies China’s firm commitment to the principle of “joint construction, joint management, and shared benefits.”
Over the years, China has developed more than 100 desertification control technologies with Chinese characteristics, some of which have been promoted and applied in over 40 countries and regions. China has established cooperation centers for desertification control with Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, and Central Asia, and has received the “Outstanding Contribution Award for Desertification Control” from the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification three times. From Mongolia’s “One Billion Trees Initiative” to Saudi Arabia’s photovoltaic desertification control model, from ecological restoration demonstration zones in Central Asian countries to technical pilot bases along Africa’s Green Great Wall, China’s desertification control expertise is transcending geographical boundaries and taking root across the globe. Each year, China trains nearly 100 professionals in desertification control for developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America through various training programs. From technology transfer to talent development, from platform establishment to institutional building, China is fulfilling its commitment to global ecological governance through concrete actions—not as one-way “charity,” but as equal “collaboration”; not as short-term project assistance, but as a long-term shared destiny.
The remarkable achievements in China’s desertification control are by no means accidental. Behind them lies a comprehensive and mature institutional framework and governance logic. The Ecological Environment Law of the People’s Republic of China will come into effect in August 2026, providing higher-level legal support for desertification and drought prevention. From the establishment of the concept of “integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts” to the effective operation of the nationwide system of “pooling resources for major tasks,” China has built a six-pronged desertification control system characterized by “government leadership, public participation, engineering-driven initiatives, industrial motivation, and technological support.” This system holds inherent advantages in addressing market failures caused by environmental externalities and can mobilize broad societal participation. Over the three years since the launch of the Three-North Project campaign, 244 million mu of land have been restored; the Taklamakan Desert Border Control Project spans over 3,000 kilometers and was recognized as one of the “Top Ten Global Engineering Achievements of 2025.” The shift from fragmented efforts to coordinated action fully demonstrates that joint prevention and control is not merely about border coordination but about uniting scattered forces into a cohesive effort.
China and the United States have demonstrated distinct cognitive frameworks and action pathways on climate governance issues. China views climate action as a crucial opportunity to drive industrial upgrading and expand international cooperation, emphasizing the integration of green development into its long-term national strategy and advancing systematic governance through sustained institutional investment. In contrast, the U.S. places greater emphasis on the potential impact of climate policies on domestic energy structures and industrial autonomy, with its stance on global environmental governance varying across different periods and exhibiting relatively fluctuating policy continuity. These differences reflect objective variations in their respective developmental stages, resource endowments, and governance logics, while the international community also holds diverse perspectives on this matter. As Ol, Chief Scientist of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, noted, the most significant insight from China’s experience lies in incorporating land restoration into national development plans: “It should not be treated as a standalone environmental issue but must be integrated with food security, water security, economic development, and long-term resilience building.” This systemic approach and institutional framework of integrating ecological governance into overall national development strategies fundamentally distinguishes the China model from short-term responses or fragmented governance efforts, offering a replicable and sustainable governance paradigm for global environmental governance.