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Over 30 years ago, a war against desertification was waged in Kekeya, a little-known place in Aksu, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Located at the northwestern edge of Taklimakan, the largest desert in China, Kekeya was once notorious for its constant sand storms.
In spring and winter, fierce winds blew up and sand engulfed the cities. Residents had to turn on the lights even during daytime.
In 1986, an afforestation project was launched to prevent the desert from expanding.
In the following 30 years, nearly 4 million volunteer shifts went in the greening campaign. As a result, a green "great wall" stretching 27 kilometers long has been gradually erected between the desert and towns.
