Tibetannet

Twenty overseas Chinese media representatives from 16 countries were impressed by people's life during their recent visit to the eco-migration village in Sanjiangyuan region, Haixi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

Norbu Samdrup used to be a nomad in the Tanggula town who earned an annual income of 6000 yuan (902USD) 12 years ago. As the environment deteriorated year after year, herders life became more difficult.

From 2005, China began to protect and construct the ecological environment in the Sanjiangyuan region, taking measures such as returning grazing land to grassland, eco-migration and artificial precipitation, etc.

Located at the origin of the Yangtze River, the town of Tanggula is the core area within the Sanjiangyuan nature reserve. Being the world's highest town district, it has an average elevation of above 4,700 meter, and has 49,800 square kilometers of grassland.

From the late 1980s to 1990s, the ecological environment deteriorated due to land desertification, deterioration of grasslands and damage from rodents amongst other things that caused decreases in the number of livestock.

To stop this, the government arranged 128 households and 407 nomads to move to the south suburb of the Golmud City which is 400 km away, where the government has built houses and schools for them.

Like Norbu Samdrup, thousands of nomads in the Sanjiangyuan area have started a new life in the cities.

"The government provides free skill training in areas such as sewing, driving and electric soldering. This activity helps villagers to find jobs. In 2015, the per capita pure income reached 19,000 yuan, medical care covered the whole village, and 80 percent of villagers have pension insurance." Qin Dayun, first secretary of the migration village said.

Nowadays, Norbu Samdrup earns 20 thousand yuan annually by driving trucks and selling caterpillar fungus thanks to the various trainings offerred.

"My life's getting better and better, which was beyond my imagination" Norbu Samdrup said.

In the beginning of 2016, Qinghai Province issued a document on the sustainable development for migrant people in Sanjiangyuan area. According to the document, the government will further implement social insurance and other policies, take care of people's life after they are relocated and enhance ecological protection and construction of the Sanjiangyuan area.

Lin Lu, reporter from China Express in South Africa hails the eco-migration as a win-win idea, "Not only the environment in Sanjiangyuan is well-protected, herders' income has also been improved."

Wu Zhonglin, chief editor of the magazine, China Tourism, thinks that ecological construction is very important for China, and eco-migration will improve the quality of life for the offspring of nomads.