STORY: A visit to a green community in China's largest desert
DATELINE: June 18, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:00
LOCATION: URUMQI, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP 1 (English): GOU LIFENG, Xinhua correspondent
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHU MINHUA, Worker of the Tazhong oil and gas production management area of Tarim Oilfield
3. STANDUP 2 (English): GOU LIFENG, Xinhua correspondent
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHOU HAIXIA, Worker of the Tazhong oil and gas production management area of Tarim Oilfield

STORYLINE:

Despite severe weather conditions, oil workers have cultivated their own vegetable and fruit gardens in the center of the Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China.

STANDUP 1 (English): GOU LIFENG, Xinhua correspondent
"Guess where I am now? At a vegetable base? No, I am now in the Taklimakan Desert. The vegetables and fruits here, including watermelons and tomatoes, are all grown by oil workers."

The Tazhong oil and gas production management area of Tarim Oilfield is located in the middle of the Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China.

Oil workers planted vegetables and fruits by themselves.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHU MINHUA, Worker of the Tazhong oil and gas production management area of Tarim Oilfield
"We began to nurture this vegetable plot in 2019. At first, we focused on soil conditioning, and later, over the past two years, we started growing vegetables such as tomatoes and watermelons. Their survival rate was quite high at last year, with approximately 200 watermelons harvested."

This area is plagued by sandstorms for up to 9 months of a year.

Despite the severe weather conditions, oil workers have been working to build a green and ecological oil field in the desert.

STANDUP 2 (English): GOU LIFENG, Xinhua correspondent
"Next to me is one of the first trees planted. It is from here that the green of this desert starts to spread."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHOU HAIXIA, Worker of the Tazhong oil and gas production management area of Tarim Oilfield
"When our Tazhong oilfield was completed in 1994, there was nothing but yellow sand surrounding the oil wells. We have since cultivated a large number of desert plants here, and have made continuous efforts in greening the operation area. These desert plants have now become a major force in our afforestation drive."

Up to now, more than 800 hectares of trees have been planted in Tazhong, transforming the barren desert into a green community for oil workers.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Urumqi, China.
(XHTV)