Located on the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, Yutian County in Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang, is known as the «City of Roses.» Currently, 70,000 mu of roses in Yutian County are entering the harvest season: the roses are in full bloom, filling the air with their fragrance. Villagers are busy picking roses from early morning.

Yutian County boasts a long history of desert rose cultivation. While combating desertification, locals have developed drought-resistant and adaptable rose varieties. On November 28, 2024, at the convergence of the Taklimakan Desert and the Belt and Road project, residents planted 100,000 rose bushes. After six months, the survival rate of these roses reached 90%, demonstrating both ecological and economic benefits as they thrived in the desert.

Yutian County has introduced deep-processing industries to expand its production chain, developing over 70 food and skincare products, gradually shifting from rough to refined processing. The local culture and tourism department is also leveraging the rose industry by creating rose plantations, picking experiences, photography, and painting-themed tours, enhancing visitor experiences and achieving the integration of «agriculture + ecology + tourism.»

Taklimakan Desert

The Taklimakan Desert, located in China’s Xinjiang region, is one of the world’s largest sandy deserts, covering about 337,000 square kilometers. Known for its extreme climate and shifting sand dunes, it was a significant part of the ancient Silk Road, with trade routes skirting its edges to avoid the harsh interior. The desert’s history is intertwined with lost cities and archaeological treasures buried beneath the sands, reflecting its role as a crossroads of cultures.

Yutian County

Yutian County, located in the Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China, is a historically significant area along the southern route of the ancient Silk Road. Known for its desert landscapes and oasis towns, Yutian has been a center of trade and cultural exchange for centuries, with a rich heritage tied to the Uygur people and Buddhism, evidenced by nearby ruins like the Karadong site. Today, it remains an important agricultural region, famous for its jade and carpets.

Hotan Prefecture

Hotan Prefecture, located in southern Xinjiang, China, is a historically significant oasis along the ancient Silk Road, renowned for its jade production and vibrant Uyghur culture. It has been a cultural and trade hub for over 2,000 years, blending Chinese, Central Asian, and Islamic influences. Today, Hotan is known for its traditional crafts, such as silk weaving and carpet making, as well as its unique desert landscapes.

City of Roses

The **»City of Roses»** is a nickname for **Portland, Oregon**, known for its abundant rose gardens and the annual Portland Rose Festival, which began in 1907. The city earned this title due to the ideal growing conditions for roses and the establishment of the International Rose Test Garden in 1917, the oldest official public rose test garden in the U.S. Today, Portland celebrates its floral heritage with vibrant gardens, festivals, and a strong cultural connection to roses.

Belt and Road project

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched by China in 2013, is a global infrastructure and economic development project aimed at enhancing trade and connectivity across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Inspired by the ancient Silk Road, it includes investments in roads, ports, railways, and other infrastructure to foster economic cooperation. The project has expanded to over 140 countries, though it has faced criticism over debt sustainability and geopolitical influence.