China used to call for a “green environment (绿化)” and promoted “turning farmlands back into forests (退耕还林).” However, it has now made a 180 degree turn to stress growing more crops, or to “turn forests back to farmlands (退林还耕),” as it faces a shortage in its food supply both domestically and internationally.
Chengdu residents complained that some portions of the green beltway surrounding the city, which the city spent 40 billion yuan (US$ 6 billion) on building has since been demolished and replanted with wheat. Even some parks have been changed in order to grow crops, whereas the parks were once a big selling point for the nearby apartments.
A researcher also reported that village officials have been forced to take land back in order to grow crops. In some mountain areas, the local government encouraged peasants to build orchards. However, after people put all their savings into planting fruit trees, the government is now asking them to cut all the trees to grow crops.
Source: Epoch Times, April 25, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/4/25/n13980976.htmi