“The Inner Mongolia I imagined was picturesque, with vast grasslands and herds of cattle and sheep,” remarked foreign delegates visiting the region for the first time. Yet, their biggest surprise came in Chifeng City, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, where they witnessed the seamless integration of green development and modernization. 

From August 11 to 13, 2024, prior to attending the international seminar themed “Environment, Development, and Human Rights: Green and Low-Carbon Development in the Process of Modernization”—jointly organized by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and China Datang Corporation Ltd.—delegates from Laos, Indonesia, the United States, Japan, and other nations embarked on a study tour in Chifeng City. Their mission was to explore the region’s wisdom in fostering harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. 

Over the three days, the delegation visited multiple sites, including the Saihanba Wind Farm operated by China Datang, Haus Oboo Gacha in Ulan Butong Sumu, the Integrated Management Project for the Qibai Line Sandy Land in Ongniud Banner, and the Ma’anshan Forest Farm in Harqin Banner. These visits offered firsthand insights into China’s achievements in high-quality renewable energy development, ecological restoration, desertification control, and green, low-carbon sustainable practices. 

‘China is Inventing the Future’

Upon entering Keshiketeng Banner, the delegates were greeted not only by emerald grasslands but also by sprawling wind turbines. The Saihanba Wind Farm has generated a cumulative 42.38 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity, equivalent of saving over 13.9 million tonnes of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 42.25 million tonnes, and offsetting the carbon footprint of 5.29 million trees. 

Accompanied by staff to the main control building of Saihanba Wind Farm, Harvey Cary Dzodin, chairman of HCD Earthcare Culture Association intently focused on the computer screen at the control console and requested the on-site technicians to explain the operation workflow of the wind turbines.

“In the field of renewable energy, China is inventing the future,” he said, “The industry has offered transformation opportunities for many regions in the country. I am amazed by what I’ve seen in Inner Mongolia. My previous impression of the region was ancient history and delicious food, but now this land has become a leader in renewable energy development,” he said.

Standing beneath the wind turbine, where the steel titan seemed to pierce the heavens and merge with the clouds, while its blades rotated gracefully in the breeze. After touring the wind turbine’s interior and learning about its cutting-edge green energy technologies, Dr. Naoko Kumada, lecturer at the School of International Studies, Zhejiang University, expressed profound admiration, “China’s leap from coal reliance to wind energy dominance is awe-inspiring. Its global leadership stems not just from technology, but from the relentless dedication and hard work of its people.” 

‘Desert Control Methods Here are Remarkable’

Inner Mongolia serves as a vital ecological security barrier in northern China.  Through long-term desertification efforts and innovative practices, local communities of diverse ethnic groups have pioneered effective strategies, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions for global land restoration. 

At the Qibai Line Sandy Land in Ongniud Banner, a 15-kilometer sand-crossing highway has split the once continuous desert into two halves. Along this route, 37,000 mu (approximately 2,467 hectares) of sand stabilization and 37,000 mu of sand afforestation will be implemented to achieve the goal of combating desertification through road construction. Today, as one travels along this bumpy sand-crossing highway, the horizon reveals grid-like straw checkerboard barriers interspersed with vibrant greenery, as if nature has painted an ecological masterpiece on the yellow sand. 

When the delegates visited this area with grass grids on both sides that act like a net to hold the shifting sands in place, they bombarded guides with questions about this grid-based approach.

Valaxay Lengsavad, deputy head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, noted, “China’s desert control achievements are extraordinary—they protect ecosystems, create jobs, and uplift living standards of its people.” 

Peng Runnian, a senior research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Core Group of the Belt and Road Initiative, added, “I never imagined road-building could combat desertification.  Inner Mongolia’s methods and its people’s perseverance have left a profound impression on me.”

Later, at the Ma’anshan Forest Farm in Harqin Banner, delegates marveled at a vast expense of forest stretching to the horizon. They expressed keen interest in the ecological restoration achievements of the region, eagerly taking out their smartphones to capture the breathtaking views of this human-cultivated sea of trees. 

“Throughout its journey, the Ma’anshan Forestry Farm has remained a landscape of lush greenery,” said H.E. Thun Chappisey, Deputy Director of the Department of International Politics and Security, Institute of International Relations, Royal Academy of Cambodia. He expressed hope that such green environmental models could be promoted worldwide. 

Through these visits, the delegation witnessed how China, in the new era, leverages high-quality development with ecological preservation and fosters a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. They expressed aspirations to share China’s expertise in environmental governance practices with the world, contributing collectively to global green, low-carbon development. 

Andriah Feby Misna, Deputy Director for Energy Efficiency Program at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia, concluded, “Inner Mongolia’s natural beauty impresses me and China’s efforts to balance human activity with nature offer invaluable lessons. This event has fostered a vital exchange of sustainable development wisdom among nations.”