GREENING CHINA

Planting trees is a noble cause that will benefit generations to come, Xi said. And he has put the words into action.

Xi has participated in annual tree-planting activities 11 times as the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and has undertaken multiple field trips to areas severely affected by sand damage, including Ningxia, Gansu and Hebei.

In September 2019, Xi presented a national medal and awarded the national title of "People's Role Model" to Wang Youde, for his efforts in afforestation and sand controlling, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

During an inspection in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region in April 2008, Xi, then Chinese vice president, planted trees with Wang. Xi held Wang's hands firmly and told local foresters they were engaged in "an ordinary but great cause."

Planting trees has become a common practice for the Chinese people. After decades of afforestation, China has created the world's largest area of planted forests, with its forest coverage rate more than doubling from 12 percent in the early 1980s to 24.02 percent last year.

Data from NASA satellites shows that at least 25 percent of the global foliage expansion since the early 2000s has taken place in China.