The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwest China is planning to spend 1.5 billion yuan (US$180 million) on improving the environment of the Tarim River, the world's second-longest inland river. "Once the project is completed, a green corridor stretching more than 1,000 kilometres will appear along the Tarim River," said Xu Peng, a professor with the Xinjiang University of Agriculture. "This may well be the world's largest man-made oasis." Xu, also deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional People's Congress, is in Beijing to attend the Second Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC), which is due to open tomorrow.