China has kicked off an afforestation project with an aim to plant 1,200 hectares of shelter forest in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region within five years.

The shelter forest, to be built on sandy areas near the Aydingkol Lake, is expected to take 6.63 million yuan (US$800,000) in Chinese government investment and 8.27 million yuan (US$1million) in a donation from the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Located in the Turpan Basin, the Aydingkol Lake is the lowest point in China, with some of its water area more than 150 meters below sea level.

The afforestation project is expected to protect an additional 1,200 hectares of sandy area from further wind erosion, thus improving the ecological environment around Turpan City in Xinjiang.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2002)