Wang Congxia: Coordinating the Advancement of High-quality Development and High-level Protection

2025-01-06 Modern Chinese History

In his important speech at the National Ecological Environmental Protection Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that to continue promoting the construction of ecological civilization, we must correctly handle the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, key breakthroughs and horizontal governance, natural restoration and artificial restoration, external constraints and endogenous motivation, and "dual carbon" commitments and autonomous action. The General Secretary's important speech provides the fundamental guidance for comprehensively promoting the construction of a Beautiful China ^[1] and accelerating the advancement of modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature. In correctly handling these five major relationships, the primary task is to correctly handle the relationship between high-quality development and high-level protection. We must firmly establish the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" ^[2], fully recognize that green development is the defining feature of high-quality development, ensure that development is built upon the efficient use of resources and strict protection of the ecological environment, and coordinate the advancement of high-quality development and high-level protection.

I. Correctly Understanding the Relationship Between High-Quality Development and High-Level Protection

Ecological protection and economic development are not an "either-or" choice. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must correctly handle the relationship between economic development and ecological environmental protection, firmly establishing the concepts that protecting the ecological environment is protecting productive forces, and improving the ecological environment is developing productive forces. We should more consciously promote green, circular, and low-carbon development, and never trade temporary economic growth for the price of sacrificing the environment. High-quality development is the prerequisite for high-level protection, while high-level protection is an important support for high-quality development, capable of enhancing the quality of high-quality development. High-quality development provides fiscal, technological, and market support for high-level protection, and high-quality development can only be realized by relying on high-level protection; the two complement and reinforce each other.

High-quality development is the prerequisite for high-level protection. Development is the eternal theme of humanity and the Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country. High-quality development is development that meets the people's needs for a better life, of which a fine ecological environment is an indispensable and important aspect. New missions, tasks, and the new development environment have placed higher and more urgent requirements on achieving effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy. "Imbalanced and inadequate development" ^[3] is a prominent manifestation of low developmental quality. We must push economic development to shift from quantitative expansion to qualitative improvement, and from primarily solving the question of "whether it exists" to solving the questions of "how good it is" and "how excellent it is." We must implement the New Development Philosophy ^[4], place the issue of development quality in a more prominent position, and strive to improve the quality and efficiency of development. On the new journey, we must use high-quality development to promote a comprehensive green transition of economic and social development, develop green and low-carbon industries, and advocate for green consumption. Only when the economy and society achieve high-quality development can we provide a reliable material basis for the construction of ecological civilization and a strong guarantee for the construction of a socialist modernized power.

High-level protection is an important support for high-quality development. High-level protection is a vital component of ecological civilization construction; only by relying on high-level protection can we achieve high-quality development characterized by ecological priority and green, low-carbon growth. High-level protection can guard the gates and maintain the bottom line for high-quality development through means such as ecological environment zoning controls and optimizing the development and protection patterns of national territorial space. Through the synergistic enhancement of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, as well as the raising of environmental standards, we can drive the structural transformation and upgrading of industry, energy, and transportation, thereby assisting high-quality development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that protecting the ecological environment is protecting productive forces, and improving the ecological environment is developing productive forces. High-level protection provides high-quality ecological products for high-quality development and opens the conversion channel between "lucid waters and lush mountains" and "invaluable assets." The ecological environment is the material basis for economic and social development, and a good ecological environment is a key factor and internal driving force for high-quality development. High-level protection directly improves the quality of the ecological environment and enhances the caliber of high-quality development. By perfecting the mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products and the horizontal ecological protection compensation mechanism, accelerating green technological innovation and the application of advanced green technologies, and creating efficient ecological green industrial clusters, we can further demonstrate that a good ecological environment itself contains immense economic value. As the constraints of China's resources and environment become more apparent, economic reproduction increasingly relies on the protection and optimization of the ecological environment.

High-quality development and high-level protection are consistent in essence and objectives. High-quality development is development that embodies the New Development Philosophy: development where innovation is the primary driver, coordination is the endogenous characteristic, green is the universal form, openness is the necessary path, and sharing is the fundamental purpose. High-level protection provides the foundational defense for economic high-quality development by transforming development modes, adjusting regional economic layouts and industrial structures, converting old kinetic energy into new ^[5], and developing environmental industries. On one hand, a good ecological environment is both an element of the productive forces and a vital component of high-quality development. On the other hand, coordinating the systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass, and sand ^[6], promoting harmony between humanity and nature, and enhancing the "gold content" and "green content" of economic development are inherent requirements of high-quality development. High-quality development inevitably places newer and higher requirements on ecological protection. The goal of promoting high-quality development is to break away from traditional economic growth modes and productive force development paths characterized by high consumption, heavy pollution, and low efficiency, achieving economic development with less resource and energy consumption and lower environmental costs.

II. Coordinating High-Quality Development and High-Level Protection is an Inherent Requirement of Chinese-path Modernization

Promoting Chinese-path modernization is a systemic project that requires holistic consideration, systematic planning, and overall advancement. How to handle the relationship between humanity and nature is an inevitable problem faced in achieving modernization. In recent years, China has implemented a series of key ecological protection and construction projects, such as soil and water conservation, returning farmland to forest, returning grazing land to grassland, natural forest protection, the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Forest Program ^[7], wetland protection and restoration, and the protection of wildlife and construction of nature reserves. The continuous improvement of the ecological environment quality has laid a solid foundation for coordinating high-quality development and high-level protection and building a modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature.

An inevitable requirement for harmony between humanity and nature. The relationship between humanity and nature is the most basic relationship in human society; the development of nature and the development of humanity influence, restrict, and connect with one another. Modernization is the transformation from a traditional agricultural society to a modern industrial society triggered by the Industrial Revolution since the late 18th century, driven by modern industry and scientific and technological revolutions, which brought about profound all-around changes in economy, politics, culture, and the ecological environment. Western modernization reduced the relationship between humanity and nature to an instrumental one, following the path of "pollute first, treat later," which seriously damaged the harmonious relationship between the two. In 2021, at the Leaders' Summit of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We should build a planetary homeland of harmony between humanity and nature, a planetary homeland of synergistic progress between the economy and the environment, and a planetary homeland of common development for all countries in the world." Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. Respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature are inherent requirements for comprehensively building a socialist modernized country. We must focus on the construction of a Beautiful China, accelerate the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development, improve the ecological environment governance system, and promote the harmonious development of humanity and nature.

An inevitable choice for ecological civilization construction. Ecological civilization construction requires the coordination of high-quality development and high-level protection. From the perspective of "the Great View of History" ^[8], modernization is a universal pursuit of all countries, and realizing modernization has been the dream for which the Chinese people have striven since modern times. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese-path modernization shares common characteristics with the modernization of other countries, but more importantly, it has distinct features based on China's own national conditions. Building a modernization of harmony between humanity and nature is a prominent feature of Chinese-path modernization. Currently, China's ecological civilization construction is still in a critical period where pressures overlap and we move forward under a heavy burden; the pressure on the ecological environment remains high, the improvements are not yet consolidated, and the tasks of ecological environmental protection remain arduous. High-quality development requires not only prompting a leap in productive forces but also properly handling the relationships between humanity and nature, person to person, person to society, and person to self. As the constraints of resources and environment further manifest, high-quality development increasingly depends on ecological construction and environmental protection. In promoting Chinese-path modernization, we must profoundly grasp the relationship between economic/social development and ecological protection within the process of advancing ecological civilization.

An objective need for developing new quality productive forces. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Green development is the defining feature of high-quality development, and new quality productive forces are themselves green productive forces." This important thesis profoundly elucidates the internal relationship between new quality productive forces and green productive forces, providing theoretical support for their integrated development. Developing new quality productive forces requires us to fully consider the carrying capacity of the ecological environment while developing the economy, achieving the organic unity of economic, social, and ecological benefits. We must lead the leap in productive forces through a new round of technological revolution represented by intelligent and green technologies, promoting the green and low-carbon transitional development of the economy, industry, and energy structures. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Developing new quality productive forces is an inherent requirement and an important focus for promoting high-quality development." This thesis profoundly clarifies the internal connection between the two. Firmly establishing and practicing the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, unswervingly following the path of ecological priority and green development, vigorously advocating for green and healthy production and lifestyles, and building a beautiful home with blue skies, green land, and clear water is, in essence, accelerating the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces through high-level protection, thus opening up new fields and new tracks for high-quality development.

III. Writing a New Chapter in the Coordination of High-Quality Development and High-Level Protection within Chinese-path Modernization

The Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Advancing Chinese-path Modernization ^[9] made major deployments centered on improving the systems and mechanisms for promoting high-quality economic development. It emphasized that we must lead reform with the New Development Philosophy, base our actions on the New Development Stage ^[10], deepen supply-side structural reform, improve the incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and shape new growth drivers and advantages. Simultaneously, it emphasized the need to improve the institutional system for ecological civilization, synergistically promote carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth, actively respond to climate change, and accelerate the improvement and implementation of the mechanisms for the "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" concept, providing the fundamental guidance for coordinating high-quality development and high-level protection.

Firmly establish the New Development Philosophy. Harmony between humanity and nature is directly related to the fate of humanity itself; it is the cornerstone of human survival and development and a vital manifestation of the progress of human civilization. The type of development view one holds determines the type of development path one takes. Currently, promoting high-quality development still faces many dilemmas or even multi-faceted challenges. This requires us to plan the path of modernization from the height of harmony between humanity and nature, strengthening forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout, and holistic advancement. We must focus on the fact that a fine ecological environment is the most universal benefit to the people's wellbeing, pushing for continuous improvement in ecological quality and strengthening forward-looking thinking on modernization. We must focus on the fact that a community with a shared future for humanity inherently includes a "life community of humanity and nature" ^[11]—socialist choice and rational trend—strengthening the overall planning of modernization. We must focus on coordinating the new pattern of Large-scale Development of the Western Region, achieving new breakthroughs in the Full Revitalization of the Northeast, the Rise of the Central Region, and the accelerated modernization of the Eastern Region to promote coordinated regional development, thereby strengthening the strategic layout of modernization. Finally, we must focus on building a modernization where material and spiritual civilizations are coordinated, strengthening the holistic advancement of a modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature.

Promoting the transformation of development patterns toward green and low-carbon ends. Ecological and environmental issues are, in the final analysis, problems of development patterns; high-quality development and high-level protection are unified within the green and low-carbon transformation of development patterns. First, we must place greater emphasis on prioritizing ecology and green development to form a high-level protection system. We must firmly establish the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" ^[12], implement major ecological and environmental protection projects in depth, vigorously promote the construction of environmental infrastructure, and comprehensively advance the construction of a system of nature reserves with national parks as the mainstay, thereby maintaining our strategic resolve ^[13] in ecological and environmental protection. Second, we must place greater emphasis on prevention at the source and process control to form a high-level governance system. We must strengthen source prevention for the ecological environment—utilizing means such as ecological environment zoning controls, differentiated controls, and environmental impact assessments to strictly manage ecological access. We should comprehensively develop multi-field and multi-level synergistic innovation in pollution reduction and carbon reduction, and accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of key industries characterized by high energy consumption and high emissions. This will reduce carbon and pollutant emissions at the root, effectively acting as a "gatekeeper" and defending the bottom line for high-quality development. We must improve institutional mechanisms for precision, scientific, and law-based pollution control; accurately identify the types and causes of ecological environmental issues; and conduct "targeted therapy" and precise policy implementation centered on key areas and critical links of pollution prevention and control. This will promote the construction of an integrated ecological environmental governance system connecting upstream and downstream areas of important river basins. Third, we must place greater emphasis on market guidance and technological empowerment to form a high-level power system. We should build diversified investment mechanisms for ecological protection and restoration, comprehensively implement the reform of water resource fees into taxes ^[14], and improve the market-based allocation system for environmental factors such as emissions rights and carbon emission rights. We must improve the mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products and the horizontal mechanism for ecological protection compensation ^[15] to stimulate the endogenous motivation for protecting the ecological environment. We must deepen the reform of the science and technology system in the field of ecological environment, implement major actions for scientific and technological innovation in the ecological environment, and accelerate the green transformation of development patterns to catalyze new industries, new models, and new growth drivers, thereby aiding the achievement of the "Dual Carbon" goals ^[16].

Constructing a green, low-carbon, and circular economic system. We must focus on constructing a green, low-carbon, and circular economic system to effectively reduce the resource and environmental costs of development, consolidate the ecological foundation of high-quality development, and continuously enhance the potential and stamina of development. First, we must accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of the industrial system. We should take the green and low-carbon transformation and upgrading of industries as the main direction for our attack, developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions. We must accelerate the adjustment of industrial, energy, transportation, and land-use structures; vigorously develop industries with local characteristics and advantages; cultivate and strengthen emerging industries; and transform and upgrade traditional industries. This will achieve synergistic efficiency in pollution and carbon reduction, transitioning from a state where ecological protection "forces" ^[17] high-quality development to one where it both "forces" and "incentivizes" high-quality development. Second, we must support the translation of green and low-carbon technological innovation achievements. Green and low-carbon technologies include those that achieve carbon reduction, zero-carbon, or carbon-negative effects through the clean utilization of traditional energy, energy saving and efficiency enhancement, new energy utilization, and Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS). We must accelerate the establishment of a green technological innovation system that centers on enterprises, features deep integration between industry, academia, and research, possesses complete infrastructure and service systems, allocates resources efficiently, and facilitates the smooth translation of achievements. We must coordinate the relationship between the effective market and the capable government ^[18], ensuring the market plays a decisive role in the direction of R&D, choice of pathways, pricing of factors, and the allocation of various innovation elements. We must strengthen intellectual property protection, stimulate the innovation vitality and translation motivation of various entities, and accelerate the application of innovative achievements, pushing green and low-carbon technologies to accelerate the transition from "leaving the lab" to "entering the market." Third, we must guide the public to adopt green lifestyles. We should further strengthen the popularization of knowledge and policy publicity, actively respond to social concerns, and mobilize all sectors of society to extensively participate in pollution prevention, ecological construction, environmental protection, and environmental supervision, creating a positive atmosphere for the continuous improvement of ecological quality. Furthermore, by increasing fiscal input, developing green finance, and improving incentive mechanisms for green consumption, we can promote the construction of ecological protection projects and the development of environmental protection industries. By "using supply to stimulate demand," we can guide the public to establish concepts of conservation awareness, green growth, and joint construction and sharing, making green consumption, green travel, and green living a conscious action.

Web Editor: Bao Luo Source: Qiushi (Red Flag Manuscript), Issue 20, 2024

Notes

↩ [1] 美丽中国 (Měilì Zhōngguó): "Beautiful China," a political concept first introduced at the 18th CPC National Congress (2012), emphasizing ecological progress and environmental sustainability as a core goal of national development.
↩ [2] 绿水青山就是金山银山 (lǜshuǐ qīngshān jiùshì jīnshān yínshān): Often referred to as the "Two Mountains" theory, it posits that ecological protection does not conflict with economic gain but rather creates it.
↩ [3] 不平衡不充分的发展 (bù pínghéng bù chōngfèn de fāzhǎn): "Imbalanced and inadequate development," identified at the 19th CPC National Congress as the primary "principal contradiction" facing Chinese society, replacing the previous focus on "backward social production."
↩ [4] 新发展理念 (xīn fāzhǎn lǐniàn): The "New Development Philosophy" consists of five concepts: innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing.
↩ [5] 新旧动能转换 (xīn jiù dòngnéng zhuǎnhuàn): "Conversion of old kinetic energy into new," a policy referring to shifting the economy away from traditional, heavy-polluting, and low-efficiency industries toward high-tech, digital, and green industries.
↩ [6] 山水林田湖草沙 (shān shuǐ lín tián hú cǎo shā): A holistic bureaucratic shorthand for treating the ecosystem as a single unit rather than managing mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts separately.
↩ [7] 三北防护林 (Sānběi Fánghùlín): The "Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program," also known as the "Great Green Wall," a massive afforestation project in northern China to combat desertification.
↩ [8] 大历史观 (dà lìshǐ guān): "The Great View of History," a historiographical approach favored by Xi Jinping that analyzes current events within the context of long-term historical cycles (e.g., the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization or the history of international socialism).
↩ [9] 《中共中央关于进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的决定》: The key policy document released following the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in July 2024.
↩ [10] 新发展阶段 (xīn fāzhǎn jiēduàn): "New Development Stage," the period starting with the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021) marking China's transition from building a "moderately prosperous society" to comprehensively building a "modern socialist power."
↩ [11] 人与自然生命共同体 (rén yǔ zìrán shēngmìng gòngtóngtǐ): "A life community of humanity and nature," an extension of the "shared future for humanity" concept, emphasizing that humans and the environment belong to a single, inseparable ecosystem.
↩ [12] 绿水青山就是金山银山 (lǜshuǐ qīngshān jiùshì jīnshān yínshān): Often referred to as the "Two Mountains" theory, this was first proposed by Xi Jinping in 2005 while serving as Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province. It posits that environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive but mutually reinforcing.
↩ [13] 战略定力 (zhànlüè dìnglì): A common term in the Xi Jinping era referring to the composure and resolve to stick to long-term strategic goals (such as ecological protection or decoupling from high-debt growth) despite short-term economic fluctuations or external pressures.
↩ [14] 费改税 (fèi gǎi shuì): "Replacing fees with taxes." A fundamental reform in Chinese governance to move away from discretionary local administrative fees (which can be prone to corruption or inconsistency) toward formal, legislated tax systems to improve transparency and regulatory efficiency.
↩ [15] 横向生态保护补偿机制 (héngxiàng shēngtài bǎohù bǔcháng jīzhì): "Horizontal ecological compensation." Unlike vertical compensation (from the central government to local governments), this refers to market-like or negotiated transfers between regions, e.g., a downstream province paying an upstream province to maintain water quality.
↩ [16] “双碳”目标 (shuāngtàn mùbiāo): "Dual Carbon" goals. Refers to China’s commitment to reach peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
↩ [17] 倒逼 (dàobī): To "force" or "compel through pressure." In a Chinese policy context, this indicates when external constraints (like strict environmental standards) are used as a mechanism to force laggard industries to innovate or exit the market.
↩ [18] 有效市场与有为政府 (yǒu xiào shì chǎng yǔ yǒu wéi zhèng fǔ): "Effective market and capable (or promising) government." A core tenet of Xi Jinping Thought on Economy, emphasizing that the market should be the decisive factor in resource allocation while the government plays a proactive role in regulation and strategic guidance.