More than a decade of intense ecological efforts have helped transform a once-barren county in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region into a vibrant oasis which now attracts wildlife and visitors from afar.
Situated on the western rim of China's Taklamakan desert, Xinjiang's Makit County has turned more than 1,500 hectares of shifting sand into a bird-thronged lake ringed by lotus plants and trees.
Now, the stunning scenery at the Daolang Qiandao Lake scenic area is drawing ever-larger crowds of visitors keen to soak up its tranquil setting and pleasant green surroundings.
In 2013, leveraging ecological water releases from the Yarkant River and rising groundwater, engineers excavated a chain of lakes on low-lying salt marsh, creating a 15-square-kilometer lake with a storage capacity of 30 million cubic meters.
After years of ecological management and science-based development, more than 30 species of water birds including swans and egrets have made this place their home.
Once a realm of drifting sand, the area has become a beautiful ecological landscape, and as the lake's renown grows, it has already provided employment for 30 residents from the surrounding villages.
"When we first arrived, there was nothing here. We dug the ponds and built the roads ourselves. Once the environment improved, birds started coming. The better environment has also brought nearby farmers more income," said Chen Jianjun, the head of the scenic spot.
"It used to be a place of wind and sand, but now there's plenty of water. More and more visitors are coming. We have a steady income and life is getting better," said another local man.
Ecological efforts turn once-barren Xinjiang desert into vibrant oasis
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
