Tourists herd horses with local guides last month on a trail in Saihanba National Forest Park. The man-made forest, grown out of the desert and known for its ecotourism in Hebei province, shields Beijing and other big cities from sandstorms. （Photo: China Daily/Zou Hong）
Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed ongoing efforts in building an ecological civilization by adhering to green development concepts.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction on the achievements of a forest farm in the country's northern Hebei Province.
Efforts to pursue green development and an ecological civilization should be made generation by generation to create harmony between humans and nature, and leave a better environment for future generations, Xi said.
Saihanba is a vast forest covering nearly 75,000 hectares. It was a piece of barren land 55 years ago, but decades of hard work have turned it into an important ecological shield for Beijing and Tianjin.
The development of Saihanba is the result of the persistent effort and dedication of forestry workers, and has set a great example in China's pursuit of ecological progress, Xi said.
