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China’s heavy reliance on imported natural rubber has long been a strategic weak point. Rubber is a critical input for automotive manufacturing, industrial equipment, and a range of military systems, yet more than 85% of China’s annual demand—estimated at over 7 million tonnes—comes from overseas suppliers. In an era of geopolitical friction and disrupted supply chains, that dependence has pushed Beijing to look for domestic alternatives that can operate at scale and under challenging conditions.
One of the most notable responses is an agricultural-technological effort unfolding far from China’s traditional rubber-growing regions. Researchers have successfully adapted Eucommia ulmoides, known locally as Duzhong, to the harsh environment of the Gobi Desert. Unlike tropical rubber trees, Duzhong is hardy, cold-resistant, and native to China. It is also the country’s only indigenous source of natural rubber and the world’s second-largest rubber-producing plant resource.
According to Interesting Engineering, the project began in 2016, when a research team from Northwest A&F University planted Duzhong on barren land in Xinjiang to test whether it could survive desert conditions. The results exceeded expectations. What was once unused land has since been converted into productive forest, demonstrating that high-value rubber crops can be grown well outside China’s traditional agricultural zones. Nationally, Duzhong cultivation now covers around 300,000 hectares, with official plans to expand this to 3.3 million hectares by 2030, including significant growth in Xinjiang.
Making Duzhong viable as an industrial material required more than successful cultivation. Researchers first tackled genetics, screening dozens of elite strains to breed variants suited for arid climates while maintaining rubber yield. The next challenge was extraction. Unlike conventional rubber trees, Duzhong stores rubber across multiple parts of the plant—bark, leaves, and fruit peel—requiring a more complex processing approach.
That hurdle was addressed with a newly published extraction method that prioritizes rubber recovery using low-melting-point, environmentally friendly solvents combined with biological pre-treatment. The process reduces energy use and solvent consumption while delivering high-purity rubber at commercially viable yields.
From a defense and homeland security perspective, the implications are significant; Duzhong-derived rubber improves durability and wear resistance when added to conventional compounds and is used in puncture-resistant tires and electromagnetic shielding materials. By domesticating production in desert regions, China is effectively building a more resilient supply base for materials that underpin both civilian infrastructure and next-generation military systems.
