Golden poplars draw visitors to Xinjiang's desert forest in northwest China

A stretch of golden poplar forest in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is attracting visitors as the autumn foliage reaches its peak.

In Lop County, the Luobin poplar forest scenic area is at its most colorful, with clear skies offering ideal conditions for exploring. Visitors are strolling along the paths, taking in the golden trees and photographing the landscape. "We took my mother here for a trip, and this forest is simply beautiful. We drove along, stopped to enjoy the scenery and took photos all the way," said Yang Bin, a tourist from Beijing.

The scenic area has also upgraded its services this year, adding off-road driving experiences and interactive programs to give visitors more ways to explore the forest.

"The scenic area has recorded more than 200,000 visits so far. We adjust staffing in real time based on visitor flow to manage guidance, cleaning and emergency services," said Xue Huiqin, who oversees the scenic area.

China will deepen cooperation with Belt and Road partner countries in green trade and cross-border e-commerce during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), and push ahead with projects already under way, a senior official with the Ministry of Commerce said at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Speaking at the briefing held by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Song Lihong, a first-level inspector with the Ministry of Commerce, said that China will work to expand imports of quality goods from partner countries and promote exports of products from emerging industries, supporting industrial development in those countries.

"China will continue to grant zero-tariff treatment to the least developed countries that have established diplomatic relationship with China, and implement the full zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic relationship. China will also develop trade in services, promote cooperation in areas such as research and development and design, advance the 'Thousand Sails Going Global' action plan for cultural trade, and keep expanding digital trade," Song said.

China will promote investment cooperation with its Belt and Road partner countries, strengthen industrial and supply chain links, and encourage companies to take part in emerging fields such as green energy, green minerals, the digital economy and artificial intelligence, he added.