As New China marks its 75th anniversary, the nation’s commitment to building a “beautiful China” through environmental protection and sustainable development takes center stage. President Xi Jinping has emphasized the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, declaring that people should protect the environment as they protect their own eyes.
“Green” development is a core element of Xi’s five “New Development Concepts,” elevating ecological priorities to national prominence for the first time. The aspiration for a “beautiful” China signifies a nation where air, water, and soil are unpolluted, reflecting the people’s increasing vocal condemnation of pollution and active participation in environmental protection.
Sustainable and green development is imperative for China to achieve its national goals. President Xi has highlighted that the ecological environment is a major political issue related to the Party’s mission and purpose. He has called for comprehensive promotion of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, balancing environmental protection with economic development, and enhancing people’s well-being through a healthier environment.
Under Xi’s leadership, pollution violations are being severely punished. He has noted that problems in environmental protection are often due to imperfect systems where enforcement is lax, implementation is insufficient, and penalties are ineffective. To address this, China is strengthening its legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.
The construction of ecological civilization is deemed “the most important issue of the country” by President Xi. During his inspections across various regions, he consistently advocates for integrating the protection and governance of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and deserts. He emphasizes that a clean and healthy environment is a vital benefit for the people’s lives.
Significant progress has been made over recent years. From 2016 to 2023, the average concentration of PM2.5 in urban areas dropped by 28.6%, and the number of days with heavy pollution decreased by 93%. The proportion of surface water of good quality increased from 68% to nearly 90%. Soil environmental risks have been reduced, with a cumulative reduction of 100 million tons of solid wastes.
China has contributed approximately one-quarter of the world’s new greening areas in the 21st century. While global forest resources decline, China leads with the fastest and largest forest growth. The nation is expanding its national park system to preserve natural ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and leave precious natural assets for future generations. Efforts include establishing species protection centers for giant pandas, Hainan gibbons, Asian elephants, pangolins, and elks.
In terms of green transformation, China has supported an annual economic growth of over 6% with an average annual energy consumption growth rate of 3%. Energy intensity has dropped by 26%. China boasts the world’s largest carbon market and clean power generation system. The proportion of clean energy consumption has increased to 26.4%, and renewable energy installed capacity accounts for 53.8% of the total installed power generation capacity, surpassing coal-fired power. Hydropower, wind power, solar power, and biomass power all rank first globally. Production of new energy vehicles leads the world by a wide margin.
President Xi stresses that building a beautiful China is an inherent part of Chinese modernization. By 2035, the goals are to establish a widely adopted green lifestyle, achieve stable and declining carbon emissions, fundamentally improve the ecological environment, and basically achieve the objective of a beautiful China. The construction of ecological civilization is a grand vision and a long-term challenge that requires persistent effort.
As China commemorates its 75th anniversary, the nation’s dedication to environmental protection and sustainable development stands as a testament to its commitment to the well-being of its people and the health of the planet.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
