On August 24, Yin Yuzhen, a celebrated female Chinese desertification control pioneer, and retired American teacher Ronald Sakolsky planted an evergreen friendship tree together at the Mu Us Sandy Land in China, marking their first reunion in 26 years.

Twenty-six years ago, Sakolsky donated 5,000 US dollars to support local sand rehabilitation efforts. The donation helped nurture more than 50,000 trees, turning the once sand-swept barren land into a 10,000-mu (roughly 667 hectares) oasis.

Months earlier, Yin posted a video online to track down her old friend. With help from countless Chinese and foreign internet users, the pair reconnected, and Sakolsky made a special trip to China to fulfill this long-awaited green promise across the decades.

In a recent interview, Sakolsky said he had been teaching Chinese history and culture to his students for more than two decades after returning to the United States. He emphasized that this tree-planting story is essentially about human connections, and that encounters between ordinary people have the power to make a real difference.