Advancing Ecological Conservation Is a Key Element in Furthering Comprehensive Reform

Comprehensive reform serves as both the fundamental driving force for Chinese modernization and a powerful instrument for advancing ecological conservation. Regarding ecological conservation as a fundamental strategy vital to the Chinese nation's sustainable development, the CPC has driven forward theoretical, practical, and institutional innovations and taken coordinated steps to enhance the top-level design and institutional frameworks in this domain. In doing so, it has basically put in place an environmental law framework and ecological conservation system with Chinese characteristics, facilitated major reform breakthroughs in environmental management systems, and established genuine binding constraints for environmental protection thanks to institutional innovations and reforms, which include the introduction of central environmental protection inspections. As a result, China has markedly enhanced its system and capacity for environmental governance and secured internationally recognized achievements in ecological conservation. These historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes have paved the way for greater strides in carrying out the Beautiful China Initiative (BCI) and have become a defining element of the historic, revolutionary, and groundbreaking achievements in comprehensive reform in the new era.

Carrying out the BCI is a key objective in building a modern socialist country and an important element of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. At present, however, carrying out this initiative poses a formidable task, as China is in a critical period for ecological conservation defined by multilayered pressures and daunting challenges. The structural, fundamental, and trending pressures on our environmental protection efforts have not yet eased, and there is insufficient endogenous momentum for achieving a green transformation in economic and social development. We must deepen ecological conservation reform in a bid to keep making progress. This is essential for improving the ecological conservation system and enhancing China’s capacity for environmental governance; for implementing the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and supporting high-quality development through high-standard environmental protection; and for delivering a fundamental improvement in the environment and ensuring that the benefits of building a Beautiful China are enjoyed by all our people fairly. It is also essential for ensuring that China participates fully in global environmental governance and plays its part in building a cleaner and more beautiful world. 

Editor: Li Xiaoqiong