Tourists take photo at the Nine-Bend Bay Scenic Area in Xilingol League of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on August 5, 2025. Photo: Zhang Wanshi/GT

Endless and vast grasslands stretch under a wide blue sky in Xilingol League of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, where a number of Chinese and foreign experts and scholars have gathered to gain insights into the development of its ecological conservation and local livestock industry.

The Human Rights Action in China - 2025 Inner Mongolia Tour took place from August 4-10, and was participated by experts, scholars and media professionals from countries including Italy, Greece, Hungary, France and China. 

During the trip, participants visited the Nine-Bend Bay Scenic Area in the Ulagai Management Area, which is the most winding section of the Ulagai River, resembling a silver belt lying on the grasslands. The riverbanks are lush with cattle and sheep gathering together. 

The area has become one of the first pilot regions for national state-owned pastures that embodies the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." 

Coming to Inner Mongolia would be a wonderful opportunity to experience an uncontaminated environment, and to immerse oneself in such atmosphere that is hard to find in big cities, Francesco Paolo Maringiò, president of Sino-Italy New Silk Road Promotion Association, told the Global Times.

Inner Mongolia has actively implemented green development concept by strengthening environmental legislation and enforcement through various measures, such as imposing requirements on coal and electricity use in the industrial sector, and these efforts ensure that development projects comply with environmental standards, He Zhipeng, dean of the School of Law and executive director of the Human Rights Institute of Jilin University, who attends this trip, told the Global Times.

 As these standards have been raised, construction in Inner Mongolia has become more environmentally friendly, which in turn has improved the public's enjoyment of environmental rights, He added.

The expert noted that Inner Mongolia has successfully turned its natural environment into a valuable resource and foundation for improving livelihoods. By developing scenic areas, the region has not only advanced environmental protection but also improved the living standards of local herders. 

As the quality of their life improves, the herders are more motivated to contribute to environmental conservation, creating a virtuous and sustainable cycle of ecological and economic development, he said.

As an important national base for green livestock products, Xilingol is home to high-quality breeds such as Sunite sheep, Ujimqin sheep, Huaxi cattle, Mongolian horses and Sunite Bactrian camels.

Participants also visited a local cheese cultural industrial park, Shoufang Xilingol Cheese Culture Industrial Park, and sampled traditional dairy products. After tasting traditional dairy products at the industrial park, guests from various countries said they were impressed. 

Levente Horváth, director of the Eurasia Center from Hungary, told the Global Times that "I didn't know that in China there is so many kinds of cheese. They are all delicious, just like [cheese] in Europe, in Hungary."

He added that there are many types of cheese available - not only the traditional ones, but also some fusion styles, such as cheese with meatballs and other Chinese dishes.

Yanira Patricia Cuesta, a KOL from Switzerland, said, "I really like the cheese. The flavor is really good. In Switzerland, we have many different kinds of cheese as well, so I can tell the cheese here is of high quality."

She also shared that one type of cheese in Switzerland is fondue, which is somewhat similar to Chinese hotpot but uses melted cheese instead.