Updated: September 9, 2024
To further advance green and low-carbon technological innovation and promote the application of research outcomes in support of national strategies and the green transition of economic and social development, Lai Yuanming, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and President of Chongqing Jiaotong University (CQJTU), conducted a special research visit to the Ulan Buh Desert Ecological Restoration Pilot Demonstration Base (hereinafter referred to as the “Desert ‘Soilization’ Base”) in Inner Mongolia on September 5.
Lai was accompanied by Professor Yi Zhijian, former Vice President of CQJTU and Director of the Engineering Research Center for Eco-Mechanical Desertification Control and Ecosystem Carbon Sink at CQJTU, as well as by heads of relevant departments, including the Office of Administration, Office of Industry-University-Research Collaboration, Academician Workstation, and the Ecological Environment Research Center. Zou Xianming, President of Chongqing Yipin Construction Group Co., Ltd.—a partner enterprise in promoting and applying desert soilization technology—also participated in the visit.
Upon arriving at Wuhai Airport, Lai Yuanming proceeded directly to the Desert Soilization Base. He and the accompanying visitors were deeply impressed by the vast, thriving “oasis” filled with abundant crops. Lai inspected various experimental sites, closely observing the vegetation and the progress of ecological restoration efforts. He asked detailed questions about the growth data, root development, and water consumption of crops such as soybeans, sorghum, sunflowers, forage grasses, drought-resistant plants, as well as various vegetables and fruits.
Lai also examined several on-site demonstrations, including desert soilization experiments, cross-sectional analyses of the “inverted structure” of soilized sand, water retention tests, and root extraction studies. Throughout the visit, he offered insights and provided practical suggestions based on his observations.
Following the visit, a symposium was held at which Yi Zhijian, on behalf of the desert soilization research team, reported to Lai on the technology’s development history, theoretical innovations, technical breakthroughs, pilot testing, practical applications, and socioeconomic benefits. He also outlined the team’s future goals, emphasizing the innovative integration of scientific research and education, as well as industry-academia collaboration, to promote disciplinary development and talent cultivation through desert soilization technology.
At the symposium, Lai Yuanming praised Professor Yi’s dedication to scientific exploration and his decade-long commitment to pioneering desert soilization technology. He commended the team’s perseverance in pursuing eco-innovation in remote desert regions and their contributions to ecological civilization. Lai acknowledged the team’s remarkable achievements in both research and production at the base, and encouraged them to remain committed to their goals of environmental restoration and industrial development.
He emphasized that the technology—an original and groundbreaking achievement of CQJTU—holds significant strategic value for safeguarding national ecological security, ensuring food security, and optimizing land use. Lai urged the team to broaden their research perspectives, deepen theoretical inquiry, refine core technologies, and expand areas of application. He also called for improved research methodologies, enriched datasets, and the publication of high-impact papers in leading international journals to accelerate progress in foundational theory.
Additionally, Lai stressed the need to improve the base’s infrastructure, upgrade observation facilities, and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration in preparation for establishing a National Observation and Research Station. He advocated for a professional, team-based approach to industrial promotion, and for securing more funding to scale up experiments and foster a virtuous cycle between technological application and high-level research output. Such efforts, he noted, would further support desert soilization innovation, align with national strategic goals, and contribute to global ecological conservation.
