China has made significant strides in ecological protection in recent years and has restored grasslands of an area equivalent to the size of Belgium each year since the launch of the country's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA).

The country has been stepping up efforts to preserve and restore its vast grasslands, which cover some 267 million hectares -- more than any other nation -- and has developed comprehensive systems for grassland monitoring, protection, restoration, law enforcement, grassland industry development, and technical support over the past few years as part of a wider environmental push.

These efforts have been bolstered by the integration of grassland conservation into the national forest management framework, leading to substantial improvements in governance and ecological outcomes.

Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period four years ago, the central government has invested heavily in grassland conservation, with total funding reaching 110 billion yuan (around 15 billion U.S. dollars).

This investment has enabled the restoration of over 3 million hectares of grassland annually, while also addressing over 6 million hectares of rodent and pest infestations each year. The result has been a significant increase in grassland productivity, with an annual fresh grass yield exceeding 550 million tons.

One of the most notable achievements has been in the 'Three-North' region, an expansive area which spans across northern China and is home to the Gobi Desert. The efforts undertaken taken here have helped to effectively combat desertification and restore vital grasslands, according to Li Yongjun, director of the NFGA's grassland management department.

"In particular, the Three-North region boasts around 147 million hectares of grasslands, which serve as a crucial ecological barrier in northern China. The Horqin Sandy Land is regaining its former savannah landscape, with sparse trees dotting the grassy plains. Meanwhile, the sand sources in the northern upwind positions of Beijing and Tianjin have significantly decreased, making the national ecological security barrier more robust," he said.