More than 100 entrepreneurs, officials and scholars convened Sunday in north China's Inner Mongolia to discuss prevention of desertification and treatment of desert.

The first Kubuqi International Desert Forum, held in a scenic spot in the Kubuqi Desert, one of the eight largest deserts in China, was aimed at attracting more enterprises to participate in desert prevention and treatment, according to organizers.

Liu Yandong, vice chairwoman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said at the forum "prevention of desertification is a severe subject that human beings face and needs concerted cooperation of all countries and participation of all social walks of life".

Liu said China had made it a strategic move for sustainable economic and social development to prevent and treat desertification and improve ecological environment.

China has 2.63 million square kilometers of desertified land, accounting for 27 percent of the country's total land area. The country's forestry authorities said its land vulnerable to desertification is dwindling by about 1200 square kilometers per year thanks to years of afforestation efforts.

The forum, which will be held in Kubuqi Desert each year, also aims to promote desert solar energy, wind power and other clean energies.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2007)