China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin Saturday urged a greater role of the Kubuqi International Desert Forum in serving as a platform for desertification prevention technologies research and the exploring of new modes for desert ecological industry development.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the marks in a letter to hail the forum's opening at Qixing Lake in the Kubuqi Desert in Ordos Municipality, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Terming the forum a high-level dialogue platform for global initiatives of battling desertification and developing desert areas with technologies, Jia said he hopes the forum contribute more to the sustainable development of human kind.

In his letter, Jia praised Inner Mongolia-based Elion Resources Group Company for its great achievements in battling desertification through development of desert ecological industry over more than 20 years.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the forum, Chinese state councilor Liu Yandong said China, among those most-ravaged by deserts, will carry on the strategy of building a conservation culture unswervingly.

Noting that desertification prevention is among China's major efforts to protect the ecological environment, she said China will strive to open up a new prospect in preventing desertification, developing desert emerging industries, and helping the people shake off poverty and attain prosperity.

Presided over by China's minister of science and technology Wan Gang, the forum, has attracted some 220 local and overseas participants.