The Conference of the Parties (COP), established by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, will hold its thirteenth session in Ordos, China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, in September, announced Zhang Yongli, deputy head of the State Forestry Administration, at a news conference held by the State Council.

Zhang said that this year's COP rallies around the call for prevention and control of desertification for the benefit of all. About 1,400 delegates from 195 parties will discuss a wide range of topics at the conference, and set out plans to achieve the goal of "zero growth in global land deterioration by the year 2030". 

Zhang explained, "China's bid for the thirteenth session of COP indicates that the country is active in fulfilling the responsibility and obligation in desertification prevention and control. China is willing to make joint efforts with the international community to further prevent and control global desertification." 

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification was adopted in 1994. China, as a party to the Convention, has actively fulfilled its obligations under the Convention and has taken a series of major initiatives to promote desertification prevention and control. 

Monitoring has shown that desertification and sandy land in China have both been reduced by 12,120 and 9,902 square kilometers between 2009 to 2014.

Zhang was confident to say that China can provide a "Chinese Plan" with the global goal of "zero growth in land degradation" based on its years of continuous research and efforts in combating desertification.