An afforestation campaign is underway across various areas in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to restore vegetation in the Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China and once known as the "Sea of Death."
In Luopu County, located on the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, local authorities have refined their desert control strategies and introduced an innovative afforestation model featuring mixed planting of trees and shrubs, along with intercropping of forage grass.
This year, the county plans to plant trees across approximately 2,800 hectares in the desert.
In Yutian County, rose planting has been carried out in a 100-meter-wide and 20-kilometer-long edge area of the Taklimakan Desert to help stabilize the land.
"We have set up drip irrigation systems and scheduled regular fertilization to support the healthy growth of the flower seedlings. Our goal is to achieve a survival rate of over 90 percent. By May, the roses are expected to yield economic benefits, bringing both ecological and financial gains," said Ailijiang, a village official in Yutian.
Meanwhile, in Bachu County, protective nets have been installed around tree seedlings to prevent wild animals from nibbling on them, ensuring higher survival rates.
"Planting trees is crucial for windbreak and sand stabilization, and everyone is highly motivated. Once the trees take root and thrive, they will bring us many benefits," said Alimu, a local villager.
This year, Xinjiang plans to complete afforestation across 526,000 hectares of the Taklimakan Desert, further intensifying efforts to combat desertification.
The Taklimakan covers 337,600 square km and its circumference measures 3,046 km, making it the largest desert in China and the second largest drifting desert in the world.
Xinjiang launches afforestation campaign in Taklimakan Desert
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia is fully prepared and willing to negotiate with Ukraine at a U.S. military facility in Anchorage, Alaska, while his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a face-to-face meeting.
At a meeting with heads of major international news agencies attending the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said Russia remains prepared to pursue a negotiated settlement based on a framework discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in Anchorage in August 2025.
He said Russia is ready to accept the compromises discussed at the meeting and expressed hope that the Ukrainian side would also agree to them.
Ukraine has previously rejected the Anchorage framework, as it calls for Ukraine to cede territory.
Meanwhile, Putin said Russian troops are advancing along the entire line of contact and have taken complete control of the Luhansk region, 85 percent of the Donetsk region and 80 percent of the Zaporizhzhia region.
Russia's Presidential Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev said at the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday that despite efforts by forces seeking to prolong the war to disrupt talks between Russia and the U.S., bilateral engagement on Ukraine has made substantive progress.
Dmitriev dismissed reports that Russia-U.S. contacts have stalled, accusing other European nations of spreading disinformation to hinder the peace process.
Dmitriev also said that on Wednesday he had spoken by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and discussed bilateral economic cooperation.
He said the U.S. side had underscored the need to embrace peace rather than engage in constant provocations and confrontations.
The U.S. has been pushing for peace and Ukraine should join the process, Dmitriev noted, adding there were plans for further contacts with Witkoff and Kushner next week.
Later on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published an open letter to Putin, proposing to end the conflict through direct talks between the two leaders.
Relevant parties, including European countries and the U.S., should be part of the peace negotiations, the letter stated.
Ukraine is ready for a complete ceasefire during the talks and proposes an exchange of prisoners of war on the principle of "all for all," Zelensky also said in the letter.
Russia ready to talk with Ukraine at U.S. military base: Putin
Russia ready to talk with Ukraine at U.S. military base: Putin
