Marvelous Scientific Expedition along the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway

I had the privilege of participating in the “Fundamental Investigation and Comprehensive Assessment of the Carrying Capacity of Resources and Environment in the South-Asia Channel” project, which marked my first journey onto the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Despite the challenges of high-altitude sickness, I was able to appreciate the plateau’s stunning beauty while conducting a scientific expedition along the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway.

From June 12 to 28, 2023, a team led by Professor Feng Zhiming, Deputy Director of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, embarked on a 17-day expedition across six regions: Lhasa, Nagqu, and Ngari in Tibet, and Hotan, Kashgar, and Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang. The team conducted a fundamental investigation into population and socioeconomic development, the suitability of human settlements, and the carrying capacities of land, water, and ecological resources.

This expedition team consisted of 16 members and covered approximately 6,500 kilometers. During the journey, we conducted route surveys of various geographical units and collected data related to human settlements, land resources, water resources, and ecological environments along the way.

Throughout the expedition, multiple meetings were held, and a significant amount of photographic and video documentation was obtained. The team successfully achieved its set goals, which included quantitatively revealing the regional differences and changing trends in the carrying capacity of resources and environments along the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway and its surrounding areas. The research aimed to propose strategies for enhancing the carrying capacity of resources and environments and to develop regional adaptation strategies, providing scientific evidence and decision-making support for the construction of the South-Asia channel.

Team Photo