China is planning to cooperate with the neighboring Mongolia in the transformation of desert, according to an official with the Sand Prevention and Control Association of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Monday.  

Some 100 Chinese experts had suggested at an annual regional sand control meeting to conduct a joint research along the Sino-Mongolian border with the Mongolian counterparts, said Xia Ri, vice president of the association.

China's Inner Mongolia region shares over 3,000 kilometers of borderline with Mongolia, where desertification is a serious problem on both sides. China has suffered from nine sand storms this year, which caused great economic losses and made great negative influence on people's lives.

Meanwhile, several sand storms have originated in Mongolia this year, which also seriously affected the Inner Mongolia region.

"Sand storms are not confined to boundary. Sand storm control efforts must be made by both sides of the boundary," said Xia, who is also the vice chairman of the Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

China's Inner Mongolia region has been dedicating in sand control in recent years and spent 3 billion yuan (US$366 million) last year. Desertification situation had been much improved in several sand storm source places like the Xilin Gol Grasslands and the Alxa Highlands, said Xia.

He said Inner Mongolia would, together with Mongolia, seek aids from international financial institutions in the future.

He said his association was contacting with relevant non-governmental sand control organizations in Mongolia and would organize a joint survey team between July and August this year and work out a plan for the transformation of desert.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2004)