Over the past five years, Awati County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has undergone a remarkable ecological transformation, with its once-arid Aximan area changing into a lush wetland teeming with waterfowl and greenery.
Situated at the junction of the Aksu River alluvial fan and the Taklimakan Desert, once known as the "sea of death", Aximan had long suffered from severe desertification.
As a vital part of the headwater region of the Tarim River, China's longest inland river, the area plays a crucial role in the region's ecology.
In 2020, authorities in Xinjiang launched a major conservation and restoration initiative to rehabilitate the ecosystem.
Through a comprehensive strategy featuring urban wastewater recycling, widespread use of drip irrigation, and large-scale forest planting, about 52,500 hectares of land have been rehabilitated with forest coverage surging tenfold from just 4.5 percent to 45 percent.
Today, Aximan has evolved into a thriving wetland ecosystem that is home to abundant vegetation and clear waters, attracting flocks of migratory birds and providing habitat for over 200 wild animal species.
Ecological conservation project turns barren desert into lush wetland in Xinjiang
China's securities regulator has pledged to prioritize market stability and resolutely prevent sharp fluctuations as a core objective for 2026, aiming to consolidate sound development of the capital market.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) made the commitment at its annual work conference on Thursday, where the regulator reviewed the past year's performance and outlined key tasks for 2026.
In 2025, listed companies distributed a combined total of 2.68 trillion yuan (about 380 billion U.S. dollars) in cash dividends and share buybacks throughout the year, further consolidating the momentum for high-quality development.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) and follow-on offerings reached a combined 1.26 trillion yuan, while the exchange bond market issued various bonds totaling 16.3 trillion yuan.
Eighteen futures and options products were smoothly listed, demonstrating the robust functioning of the multi-tiered capital market.
The meeting emphasized that while the capital market currently shows stable and sound performance, it still faces complex and severe challenges posed by intertwined domestic and external risks as well as the overlapping of persisting and emerging issues.
Efforts will be made to effectively enhance the intrinsic stability of the market, the CSRC said, adding that it will rigorously investigate and punish excessive speculation, market manipulation, and other illegal activities to prevent sharp market fluctuations.
It will work to foster a market ecosystem where "long-term capital engages in long-term investment," the regulator said, pledging efforts to broaden the channels for medium and long-term capital inflows, introduce various products and risk management tools suited to long-term investment, and actively guide long-term, rational and value-based investment.
It also vowed to enhance the inclusiveness and adaptability of the multi-tiered equity market, crack down on illegal activities such as financial fraud, price manipulation and insider trading, and enhance corporate governance among listed firms.
The CSRC will advance the two-way opening up of the capital market in 2026.
Efforts will be made to expedite the implementation of the optimized Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor scheme, expand the scope of futures products accessible to foreign investors, and enhance the facilitation of cross-border investment and financing, the regulator said.
China's securities regulator stresses market stability in 2026 work plan
China's securities regulator stresses market stability in 2026 work plan
