Feng Wangzhou: Earnestly Grasping the Materialist Dialectics of Ecological Civilization Construction
Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is a vital component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. In the process of practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, we must integrate the global situation with our national context, earnestly grasp the dialectical materialism contained therein, vigorously advance the construction of a socialist ecological civilization with Chinese characteristics, and build a Beautiful China.
Consistently Adhering to a Problem-Oriented Approach
Adhering to a problem-oriented approach [1] is a major manifestation of the Marxist dialectical thinking method. General Secretary Xi Jinping has focused closely on ecological and environmental issues in China and the world, centering on major theoretical and practical questions such as why we build an ecological civilization, what kind of ecological civilization we should build, and how to build it. He has proposed a series of original new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies, driving historical, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pays close attention to global ecological and environmental issues. In "Jointly Building a Community of All Life on Earth," he pointed out that ecological civilization is the historical trend of human civilization's development. The international community must strengthen cooperation to build a planetary home where humanity and nature coexist in harmony, where the economy and environment progress in coordination, and where all countries develop together. We must uphold the concept of ecological civilization and walk hand in hand to embark on a new journey of high-quality development for humanity. From the perspective of the global ecological crisis, the transition from agricultural civilization to the era of industrial civilization was a tremendous leap forward for human society; however, industrial civilization also brought serious ecological problems. As Marx once noted, for every victory man wins over nature, nature takes its revenge, and humanity will inevitably suffer the consequences of destroying nature. There is only one Earth, and ecological and environmental problems are global problems. Their solution requires the active participation and joint governance of every country.
Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization was proposed to solve our country's ecological and environmental problems. In "Promoting the Construction of Ecological Civilization and Reforming Our Country's Environmental Protection Management System," General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that to promote ecological civilization and solve problems of tightening resource constraints, serious environmental pollution, and ecosystem degradation, we must adopt "hard measures." To solve China's ecological and environmental problems, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has explored deeply, proposing the "Two Mountains" theory [2] and the concept of green development. He proposed that solving ecological problems must be treated as an extremely important undertaking for the people’s wellbeing. We must effectively meet the urgent needs of the masses in terms of material, spiritual, and especially ecological environments through institutional building, personnel training, and policy support, building a Beautiful China through continuous advancement. He advocates for transforming the mode of economic development, moving from traditional developmental paths and models toward innovative paths and models driven by the New Development Philosophy [3]. This means transforming one-sided development into comprehensive development aimed at green development, achieving coordinated economic, social, and ecological development. He advocates for a perspective on ecological governance that is focused on the big picture, the long term, and the whole. Promoting ecological governance and realizing ecological civilization is the core essence of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and an essential link and path for advancing the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan" for socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Consistently Adhering to Interconnected, Developmental, and Systematic Thinking
Dialectical materialism holds that all things are universally interconnected. Connection is the relationship of mutual influence, restriction, and interaction between various elements within an objective thing and between different things. Connection is objective, universal, diverse, and conditional. The concept of systems is inseparable from the concept of connections. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that the systems concept is a foundational thinking and working method. Adhering to the systems concept means grasping things within a system of universal connections; it means revealing the essence and laws of things on the basis of affirming their universal interconnection and change. Only by adhering to the concepts of connection and systems can we accurately understand things and analyze and solve problems.
General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the viewpoints of connection and systems. The first volume of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization fully reflects these concepts, manifested in four aspects. First, there is a dialectical unity between economic/social development and ecological/environmental protection. They are not in a state of contradictory opposition but rather dialectical unity; "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" [2]. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization points out that we cannot blindly pursue the speed of development while ignoring its quality and efficiency; we must organically unify the speed, quality, and efficiency of development. We must adhere to the requirements of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, establish ecological concepts, and respect, adapt to, and protect nature to achieve a "win-win" for both economic development and environmental protection.
Second, ecological governance is a systemic project. In the article "Adhering to the Systemic Thought that Mountains, Rivers, Forests, Farmlands, and Lakes are a Life Community," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that ecology is a unified natural system and a natural chain in which various natural elements are interdependent to achieve circulation. On one hand, we must coordinate the relationships within the ecosystem, avoiding fragmented construction and instead pursuing holistic development, utilization, protection, and coordination. On the other hand, we must note the relationship between ecological civilization and economic or political construction, integrating ecological civilization into the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan." We must construct ecological, production, and living spaces from the height of humanity's sustainable development, providing a good environment and space for future generations.
Third, ecological protection is global and inseparable from the joint efforts of China and the world. General Secretary Xi Jinping believes that ecological protection is not only closely linked to China's development but is also the common responsibility of all countries. In "Jointly Seeking the Path of Global Ecological Civilization Construction and Striving to Build a Clean and Beautiful World," he pointed out that humanity has only one Earth. In the process of promoting global ecological governance, China has moved from being a participant to a leader, increasingly influencing the theories and practices of other countries and gradually forming a model of ecological civilization construction with Chinese characteristics.
Fourth, ecological civilization construction is a long-term and arduous project. In "Grasping Ecological Civilization Construction Requires Both Material and Spiritual Strength," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that in any work, one must have the patience and endurance to persist over the long term. We must firmly establish the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, carry forward the struggling spirit of never bowing before difficulties and daring to turn deserts into oases, and inspire people to invest themselves in ecological construction, persisting over the long term to build a Beautiful China. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, and the principal contradiction in our society has been transformed into the contradiction between the people's ever-growing need for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development [4]. The imbalances between regions, urban and rural areas, and in economy, technology, and education are prominent, directly affecting the efficacy of ecological civilization construction. Therefore, only by staying focused on ecological governance goals without relaxation can we truly realize the goal of a Beautiful China with bluer skies, greener mountains, clearer water, and a more beautiful environment.
Consistently Adhering to the Unified Thinking of Comprehensive Advancement and Key Breakthroughs
Adhering to the concepts of comprehensiveness and development is an important methodological principle of dialectical materialism. It emphasizes that in human cognition and social practice, one must deeply recognize that things are organic systems composed of interconnected elements. We must adhere to a comprehensive viewpoint, seeing both the universality and the particularity of contradictions; seeing both the whole and the parts; seeing both the current state and the development trend; and seeing both internal causes and external conditions. We oppose recognizing things and contradictions in isolation or stasis, emphasizing that while transforming the objective world, we must also constantly transform our subjective world and grasp laws within the process of historical development.
The first volume of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization fully embodies these concepts. First, the six principles of ecological civilization construction reflect the comprehensiveness of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. In "Promoting Our Country’s Ecological Civilization Construction to a New Level," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that in the New Era, we must adhere to the following: 1) harmonious coexistence between man and nature; 2) lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets; 3) a good ecological environment is the most universal wellbeing for the people; 4) mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands are a life community; 5) using the strictest systems and tightest rule of law to protect the environment; and 6) jointly seeking global ecological civilization construction. These six principles reflect the natural view, the life community concept, the green development view, the basic wellbeing view, the holistic systems view, and the global win-win view.
Second, Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature; it must follow a path of civilized development featuring the comprehensive and coordinated development of production, living, and ecology. In "Chinese-path Modernization is the Modernization of Harmonious Coexistence Between Man and Nature," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that respecting, adapting to, and protecting nature is a distinctive feature of Chinese-path modernization. It adheres to sustainable development and the policy of prioritizing conservation, protection, and natural restoration. It unswervingly follows a path of civilized development featuring productive development, affluent life, and sound ecology, opening broad prospects for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. Ecological civilization construction is not isolated or one-sided; the development of production inevitably brings about improvements in living standards and the people's sense of happiness and gain [5], while also promoting technological progress and environmental awareness.
Third, ecological civilization construction should unify overall advancement with breakthroughs in key areas. In the process of environmental protection and governance, we must advance in a comprehensive and coordinated manner while also focusing on key points and the "crucial few," acting with a clear aim—like "playing the piano with all ten fingers" [6]. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that China's economy has transitioned from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development. Under the new situation, to promote the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the key is to correctly grasp the relationships between overall advancement and key breakthroughs, environmental protection and economic development, overall planning and persisting over the long term, breaking old drivers of growth and fostering new ones, and self-development and synergistic development. We must strengthen reform, innovation, and strategic coordination to make the Yangtze River Economic Belt a "shock force" leading high-quality development. These all reflect the unification of the "Two-Point Theory" and the "Key-Point Theory" [7] of Marxist dialectical materialism.