China and Uzbekistan Discuss Joint Measures to Combat Desertification in Video Conference

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On Tuesday, a video conference titled “China (Ningxia) – Uzbekistan” was held to discuss measures for preventing desertification and mitigating its effects. During the meeting, both sides conducted in-depth exchanges of views and presented their vision for further cooperation, reports Xinhua News Agency.

The event was jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in China, the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR), and the NHAR Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Participants noted that China and Uzbekistan, both characterized by a temperate-continental climate, face common challenges including drought, water scarcity, and the need for effective management of saline and alkali soils. At the same time, both countries share a commitment to preserving the ecological environment and ensuring sustainable development. The practical experience of both sides in environmental protection provides a solid foundation for mutually complementary cooperation.

NHAR is surrounded on three sides by the Mu Us, Tengger, and Ulan Buh deserts. The area of desert and sandy land in the autonomous region was 2.64 million and 1 million hectares, accounting for 50.7% and 19.3% of the region’s territory, respectively. Thanks to consistent anti-desertification measures, NHAR became the first provincial-level administrative unit in China to register a reduction in these indicators.

In June 2025, at the second China–Central Asia Summit, the establishment of a China–Central Asia Desertification Prevention and Control Cooperation Center was announced. The center will be located in NHAR.

The video conference included the participation of Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to China, Farhod Arziev, who earlier this year led a delegation visiting the Baijitan National Nature Reserve on the southwestern edge of the Mu Us Desert in Linwu City, as well as the NHAR Vocational and Technical University.

According to the Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Yu Jun, bilateral relations have reached a new historic high, corresponding to the level of an all-weather, comprehensive strategic partnership, which provides strong momentum for practical cooperation across multiple fields, including ecology and environmental protection.

Preventing and combating desertification is considered one of the priority areas of bilateral engagement, with significant long-term potential that aligns with the interests of both peoples. China called for leveraging existing bilateral and multilateral frameworks to create favorable conditions for implementing concrete joint projects.