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The name Taklamakan means "once you enter, you don't come out" -- an accurate description, not just of the experiences of hapless ancient travelers but also of the river system whose waters never escape the desert.

The country's newest Silk Road is destined to wreak the same environmental havoc as its predecessor did.

Another Paradise Lost to China's Ambition

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China

Environment, Science & Technology

China in Transition

The tale of the Silk Road is one of intrigue, war and cities lost. But within this complex and quixotic tableau, it is the story of China's Tarim Basin that best echoes the age-old warning: History is doomed to repeat itself.

ASSESSMENTS

Another Paradise Lost to China's Ambition

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