With clear waters and lush green banks, a once-barren desert in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been transformed into a vital stopover for migratory birds.
In recent days, flocks of migratory birds have arrived at the Aximan Wetland in Awati County, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang. Egrets glide above the water while wild ducks gather in groups. The wetland, located at the intersection of the Aksu River alluvial fan and the Taklimakan Desert, was once ravaged by desertification.
Since 2020, local authorities have implemented integrated ecological restoration projects, including wastewater recycling and large-scale tree planting. Over the past five years, about 52,567 hectares of land have been restored, and forest coverage has soared from 4.5 percent to 45 percent.
Today, the desert's edge has been reborn as a thriving wetland, attracting the return of more than 200 species of wildlife. The once-barren area has become an important stopover for migratory birds on their journeys.
Conservationists transform desert into habitats for migratory birds in Xinjiang
The three astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission have boarded the spacecraft for a flight to China’s Tiangong space station.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship is scheduled to blast off at 23:08 Beijing Time (15:08 GMT) from northwest China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The three Chinese astronauts, commander Zhu Yangzhu, spacecraft pilot Zhang Zhiyuan and payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, climbed aboard the spaceship with the help of technicians.
Following the launch, the astronauts will complete an in-orbit rotation with the outgoing Shenzhou-21 crew, and one of them will conduct a one-year in-orbit stay, double the usual duration of previous Shenzhou missions.
Notably, astronaut Lai Ka-ying is also the first astronaut from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Shenzhou-23 marks the 40th flight of China's manned spaceflight program, and the seventh manned flight mission since the Tiangong space station entered its application and development phase in late 2022.
Shenzhou-23 astronauts board spaceship ahead of launch
Shenzhou-23 astronauts board spaceship ahead of launch
Shenzhou-23 astronauts board spaceship ahead of launch
