China has recorded fewer and weaker spring sandstorms over the past two decades, after decades of efforts to curb desertification, official data released on Sunday showed.
The average number of spring sandstorms, a recurring weather hazard across northern China particularly between March and May, fell from 12.5 times a year two decades ago to 9.6 times in recent years, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, which released the data to mark the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
The decline is closely linked to years of ecological restoration efforts, including the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, an afforestation initiative launched in 1978 to curb desertification and improve the ecological environment in northern China.
Under the program, a total of 32 million hectares of forests have been planted and preserved, and 85.3 million hectares of degraded grasslands have been restored. In regions covered by the program, the forest coverage ratio has risen from 5.05 percent in 1978 to 13.84 percent today.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China rehabilitated 10.1 million hectares of sandy land. This year alone, the central government has allocated 27.7 billion yuan (about 4.07 billion U.S. dollars) to support 328 restoration projects covering more than 6.3 million hectares.
Data showed that the area of sandy land, which had expanded by an average of 343,333 hectares annually at the end of the last century, is now decreasing by an average of around 666,667 hectares a year. Wind erosion across China's eight major deserts and four major sandy lands has declined by about 40 percent since 2000.
China has also stepped up cooperation with other countries through training programs, technology exchanges and joint projects, sharing its experience in combating desertification and mitigating sand and dust hazards.
The United Nations General Assembly designated July 12 as the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms in 2023, and proclaimed 2025-2034 as the "United Nations Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms" one year later.
China sees fewer spring sandstorms after decades of anti-desertification efforts
The "South China Sea arbitration" violates fundamental principles of international law such as "state consent" and "pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept)", contravenes the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) itself, and runs counter to the basic facts of the South China Sea, said a statement issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
The statement was issued in response to the joint statement released by the governments of the United States of America, the Republic of the Philippines, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom on the so-called "South China Sea arbitration award" on Sunday.
China has sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands), consisting of Dongsha Qundao (the Dongsha Islands), Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands), Zhongsha Qundao (the Zhongsha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands). China is the first to have continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Nanhai Zhudao and relevant waters. Nanhai Zhudao have long been widely recognized by the international community as part of China's territory, the statement said.
The statement said South China Sea is one of the safest sea lanes in the world, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea has never been a problem.
China firmly upholds its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and remains steadfast in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, while the U.S. and other external countries have been persistently reinforcing military presence in the South China Sea, throwing their weight around and fanning the flames, and these acts of militarization and coercion constitute the primary challenge to the current situation in the South China Sea, it said.
The statement said China will continue to uphold the fundamental principles of international law and basic norms of international relations as affirmed by the United Nations Charter, including respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity and the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, and remain committed to resolving the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation and consultation with countries directly concerned, on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law, so as to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, it said.
Noting that China's position on the "South China Sea arbitration" has been clear, consistent and firm, the statement said the so-called "award" is nothing but a worthless piece of paper that is illegal, null and void, and has no binding force, adding that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall not be affected by the "award" under any circumstances.
China urges the relevant countries to earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, stop stirring up trouble over the South China Sea issue, and cease undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea, it said.
China issues statement on certain countries' playing up of so-called "South China Sea Arbitration Award"
