The expansive desert region in northern China and the southern Mongolia is the second cause of the sandstorms. According to the Desertification Survey of Mongolia in 2015,  77.8 percent of Mongolia’s land is degraded, with 35.3 percent slightly degraded, 25.9 percent moderately degraded, and 6.7 percent and 9.9 percent severely and extremely degraded respectively.

The survey’s results also show the overall area of desertification in Mongolia has not decreased, and the degree of desertification varies from region to region.

As of today, desertification is particularly serious in the Dundgovi, Uvurkhangai, Govisumber, Dornogovi, Bayankhongor, Tuv, Govi-Altai and Umnugovi provinces.

Although the most important measures to combat desertification in China over the past two decades, such as the environmental protection plan as part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Project, have produced remarkable results, the frequent occurrence of sandstorms this spring shows ecological protection needs to be further strengthened, especially through deeper cooperation between China and Mongolia on desertification control.

During Mongolian President U.Khurelsukh’s visit to China in 2022, the two heads of state agreed to strengthen cooperation on environmental protection and desertification control. And President Xi Jinping expressed support for Mongolia’s “One Billion Trees” campaign, which is aimed at combating desertification, yellow dust storms, and land degradation. This is a good start for the two countries’ high-level exchanges and cooperation on environmental protection and desertification control.

China and Mongolia should establish a special fund to jointly deal with regional environmental issues such as desertification control. This is important also because of the high environmental similarity between northern, central and western Inner Mongolia in China and the Gobi region in southern Mongolia. Also, the joint fund should support Chinese universities and environmental research institutions to provide necessary technical and program support for Mongolia’s environmental protection and sustainable development.

Besides, China should encourage researchers to visit Mongolia and spread knowledge about desertification and teach the people how to control desertification.