Over the past three decades, over 6,000 square kilometers of Kubuqi Desert, or one-third of its area, have been covered by vegetation.

In addition to planting trees, Elion has also developed a multi-industry mode to keep the greening project sustainable financially.

Licorice, a widely-used Chinese medicinal herb which is able to improve soil, has been grown in the desert. The cultivation of the herb has boosted growers' income while fertilizing the soil.

Elion also capitalizes on abundant sunshine in the desert to develop solar power.

Zhang Xiangqian is a local herdsman who works at an construction team to set up solar power panels in the desert.

Zhang said solar power panels can slow winds and reduce evaporation of water, providing a more agreeable environment for plants to grow.

Plants such as licorice can be grown in the shade of the panels and geese and chicken roam among them, fertilizing the ground with excrement.

Zhang said the construction team, which employs more than 100 people, gives priority to impoverished villagers in employment to boost their income.

More than 2,000 hectares of solar power panels have been erected so far, with an installed generation capacity of 510 MW, according to Elion.