In the previous article about my visit to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest of China, while I emphasized all the unique aspects of this wonderful land in terms of beauty and culture, I mainly described my experience in Kashi, from which, we, the journalists from different countries, started our trip to Xinjiang.

After visiting the Kashi Prefecture in southwestern Xinjiang, we took a flight to Aksu, a prefecture on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang.

The name Aksu comes from the Aksu River which means “pure water” in Uygur.

During our stay in Aksu Prefecture, we visited the city of Aksu as well as some rural areas and farmlands outside the city.

Among them, the most interesting one, which astonished everyone, was the Kekeya Memorial Hall that depicts a great de-desertification project implemented in a part of the Gobi Desert.

Mahnaz Abdi was looking at the greenery in Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The Kekeya project, which is the green legend of Aksu, tells the story of turning yellow into green in a miraculous environmental restoration.

The project, initiated in the 1980s, transformed a barren desert into a lush green oasis, combating desertification and restoring ecological balance.

In 1986, officials in Kekeya launched an afforestation project to prevent the expansion of the desert, and reduce the impact of dust and sandstorms on nearby residents. The project was completed in 2015.

Over the past 32 years, a “green wall” stretching for about 77,000 hectares has gradually been erected between the desert and local towns.

The remarkable achievement in Kekeya has inspired more people to participate in ongoing ecological campaigns that are expected to transform the desert into an oasis.

As someone who lives in a country that includes a vast area of deserts, I was really inspired by this achievement.

As the economy of Aksu is primarily based on agriculture, we also visited some farmlands in this prefecture.

Cotton, especially long-staple cotton, is the main agricultural product in Aksu.

Generally speaking, in Xinjiang, in addition to fruits, cotton enjoys a reputation, and the region is a major hub for cotton production.

One of our visits in Aksu was to a cotton farm in Awat County.

Drones used to enhance cotton production in the field attracted our attention, and we found that farmers can use drones to apply varying amounts of pesticide, fertilizer and water to different sections of a field.

A drone was operating in a cotton field in Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In recent years, advancements in agricultural technology have gradually become vital allies for the farmers of Xinjiang. Mechanization and intelligent facilities have been widely applied from planting to harvesting.

According to the local agriculture and rural affairs bureau, Xinjiang's commitment to agricultural mechanization was evident, with 100 percent mechanization in plowing and seeding, 80 percent in harvesting, and an overall mechanization rate of 94 percent in cotton farming.

During our visits to the agricultural sites, the friendly farmers treated us with an abundance of fresh and delicious fruits, some of which had unique flavors specific to Xinjiang.

In addition to visiting some farmlands and becoming familiar with the great job that is being done to develop agriculture in Xinjiang, we also visited an E-Commerce entrepreneurship incubation base in Aksu City.

The base offers businesses a comprehensive suite of six preferential policies, including three years of rent-free occupancy, exemption from water and electricity charges, free live streaming services for product promotion, no charge for product standardization, access to logistics subsidies, and minimized logistics costs.

An anchor was selling local products via livestreaming in Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

We also had another astonishing visit in Aksu, which was to Dolan scenic spot of Awat County.There, we had a great opportunity to experience the region’s cultural heritage as the Dolan tribe warmly welcomed guests with their passionate dances, unique musical instruments, and marvelous singing.

We danced with local residents, tasted authentic Dolan cuisine and rode camels in that place.

The last place we visited in Aksu was the night market, where we were surrounded by a variety of handicrafts, delicious food, and traditional performances.

Taking everything into account, Aksu has a beautiful natural landscape and cultural scenery with ethnic characteristics, and as a vital station on the ancient Silk Road, it has now become renowned for its incredible natural view and multi-ethnic cultures.

Mahnaz Abdi is an editor at Tehran Times, a leading Iranian newspaper.

Planner : Jie Wenjin

Reviewers : Hou Weili and Cheng Li