He visited China from Aug 23 to Tuesday at the invitation of the China Education Association for International Exchange. The story of Sakolsky and desert greening pioneer Yin Yuzhen from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region has sparked wide discussion online, turning both of them into well-known figures in China.

　　In 1999, Sakolsky helped Yin's greening efforts with a $5,000 donation, which has since helped contribute to the planting of more than 50,000 trees.

　　"I did not have expectations when I came back to China," Sakolsky said in an interview with China Daily on Tuesday. "This journey for the last 10 days has been beyond what I even could have expected."

Yin Yuzhen, Ronald Sakolsky and their mutual friend Bai Fan (L to R) visit the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang city, Central China's Henan province, on Aug 28, 2026. [Photo/Xinhua]

　　Sakolsky, who taught in China through a teacher exchange program in Luoyang, Henan province, from 1999 to 2000, expressed amazement at the changes in cities and air quality.

　　"The advancement just has been amazing to me. Luoyang is a beautiful, beautiful city. They've made it a beautiful city, but you know what? They didn't stop; they're still building."

　　He repeatedly turned the spotlight away from himself and onto Yin. "She proved me wrong and made it possible," he said.

　　"She's the one who carried the trees on her shoulder, dug into the sand to plant them, and watered them; she's the hero," he added.

　　Sakolsky stressed that the core message is not about any individual, but about protecting the planet. "I'm not the spotlight. The story is not me. The message is that students come first. Plant a tree. Mother Earth is alive. We must take care of the earth so that she will take care of us," he said.