Inner Mongolia exceeds desert-crossing road target ahead of schedule

North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region has started construction on 2,667 kilometers of desert-crossing roads as of the end of September, surpassing its annual target of 2,600 km ahead of schedule, according to the regional transport department.

The region has integrated road construction with desertification control for decades, using road networks to support ecological restoration while improving access to markets and income opportunities for local herders.

Since the first desert-crossing road was completed in 1996, the approach has gradually been expanded to support ecological protection across the region.

To advance these efforts, Inner Mongolia introduced a development plan in July 2024 to upgrade desert-crossing roads across 39 county-level areas in five leagues and cities.

In 2025, it further expanded the road-based desert control strategy, with projects focusing on connecting rural road networks, improving road maintenance, and restoring degraded ecosystems in key areas, including the Yellow River's “Great Bend” region.

Since 2024, construction has begun on a total of 4,468 km of desert-crossing roads in the region. These projects are expected to support desertification control across 7.87 million mu (about 525,000 hectares) of land.