He Wei: Comprehensively Advancing Modernization of Harmony Between Humanity and Nature Through the Construction of a Beautiful China
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has treated the construction of ecological civilization as a fundamental plan concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. By incorporating ecological civilization into the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Central Committee has proposed a series of new concepts, thoughts, and strategies, forming Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Volume I of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization (hereafter referred to as the Selected Works) includes seventy-nine reports, speeches, addresses, instructions, and directives by General Secretary Xi Jinping on the construction of ecological civilization since the 18th National Congress. It systematically and comprehensively presents the General Secretary's profound understanding of ecological civilization, highlights the theoretical character of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization in its ability to uphold the fundamentals and break new ground and advance with the times, and providing the fundamental compliance for comprehensively promoting Chinese-path modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature through the construction of a Beautiful China.
I. Contributing Wisdom and Strength to the Sustainable Development of Human Civilization
In the process of human development, although industrial civilization created unprecedented material wealth, it also triggered contradictions in the relationship between humanity and nature, which gradually evolved into a global ecological crisis. The relationship between humanity and nature is the most basic relationship in human society, and handling it well is an important component of Marxist theory. General Secretary Xi Jinping once cited Engels’ famous words: "Let us not, however, flatter ourselves overmuch on account of our human victories over nature. For each such victory nature takes its revenge on us." The Selected Works vividly reflects General Secretary Xi Jinping’s profound reflections and scientific answers regarding the relationship between humanity and nature, and between protection and development.
Enriching and developing Marxist thought on the relationship between humanity and nature. Currently, various Western green trends of thought are emerging one after another. Theoretically, they advocate using "rationality" and "morality" to reconcile the relationship between humanity and nature; however, in practice, they remain subordinate to the logic of capital, tolerating the transfer of pollution and ecological crises to developing countries, and intensifying contradictions in global ecological governance. Faced with such propositions, some foreign Marxists have attempted to reinterpret Marxism with viewpoints such as "weak anthropocentrism" or "degrowth communism," which contain many misreadings of and deviations from Marxist thought on the relationship between humanity and nature. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization persists in proceeding from the objective reality and rich practice of China’s ecological civilization construction. It deeply understands the dialectical relationship between humanity and nature and realizes the organic unity of economic development and environmental protection. By examining why the relationship between humanity and nature became imbalanced and how it can be transformed from the perspective of social-historical development, it opens a new path for the reconciliation between humanity and nature. This important thought inherits and innovates upon the Marxist view of nature and ecology. It is the concentrated expression of contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism in the field of ecological civilization construction, and it represents the enrichment and development of Marxist thought on the relationship between humanity and nature by Chinese Communists in the New Era.
Inheriting the ecological values of the Chinese nation. As early as over 1,400 years ago, the "Rhapsody on the Zither" (Zheng Fu) written by Emperor Jianwen of the Liang Dynasty during the Southern Dynasties contained the line: "As the beautiful one gathers [the plants], her countenance moves with the shengtai [vitality/ecology]" [1]. Initially used to describe the vivid and beautiful natural posture of things, it gradually evolved to mean a state of life characterized by beautiful scenery and the transformations of the world, reflecting our ancestors' aspirations and expectations for a beautiful ecological environment. The Chinese nation has always respected and loved nature; the Chinese civilization, spanning over 5,000 years, has nurtured a rich ecological culture. The Selected Works fully reflects General Secretary Xi Jinping’s historical wisdom in drawing from the past to forge the present [2]. He cites numerous classical allusions to expound on ecological civilization, vividly interpreting the Chinese nation’s simple and dialectical view of nature. Examples include the philosophical thought that "Man models himself after Earth, Earth models itself after Heaven, Heaven models itself after the Dao, and the Dao models itself after Nature" [3]; the classic poetic lines "I beg you not to hit the birds in the third month of spring, for the chicks in the nest are awaiting their mother’s return" [4]; the administrative systems such as "The Mountain Superintendent (Shan-yu) manages the ordinances of mountains and forests... ensuring they are protected and harvested at the proper times" [5]; and family precepts like "When eating a bowl of porridge or a meal, one should remember that its origin was not easy; when dealing with half a silk thread or a sliver of cotton, one must constantly keep in mind the difficulty of producing material wealth" [6]. These ideas thoroughly reject, in terms of thought and theory, development methods that "kill the hen to get the eggs" or "drain the pond to catch the fish" [7], highlighting the contemporary value of the ancient Chinese ecological wisdom of "the unity of Heaven and humanity" [8].
II. Promoting the Advance of Ecological Civilization Theory and Practice with the Times
The Selected Works provides a panoramic presentation of the development of the thoughts, theories, and governance practices of China’s ecological civilization construction since the 18th CPC National Congress. It highlights how the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core—based on a profound summary of domestic and international development experiences and lessons and a comprehensive grasp of global development trends—has continuously deepened the understanding of the laws of the CPC’s governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society from the perspective of ecological civilization construction. It deeply grasps the important position and strategic significance of ecological civilization construction within the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, systematically answering major theoretical and practical questions such as what kind of ecological civilization to build and how to build it, thereby raising our Party’s understanding of the laws of ecological civilization construction to a new height.
Deepening the ecological value orientation of "putting the people first." By examining the appalling living environment of the working class under the capitalist mode of production, Marx and Engels exposed the ecological exploitation of the working class by the bourgeoisie and the unsustainability of private property. They believed that only by promoting changes in the social system, particularly fundamental changes in the mode of production, could the reconciliation of humanity and nature, the comprehensive progress of society, and the well-rounded development of individuals be achieved. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization consistently persists in and develops socialism with Chinese characteristics without wavering, always taking "putting the people first" as the fundamental value position of ecological governance. The fundamental ecological value orientation of the important documents by General Secretary Xi Jinping collected in the Selected Works is reflected in statements such as: "a good ecological environment is the most inclusive sense of wellbeing for the people," "insist on ecology benefiting the people, serving the people, and for the people, focusing on solving prominent environmental problems that harm the health of the masses," and "resource development and utilization must both support the happy life of the current generation and leave a foundation for the survival of future generations." In the article "Strive to Build a Modernization of Harmony Between Humanity and Nature," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The masses have higher expectations for the quality of the ecological environment and lower tolerance for ecological problems," and "we must focus on tackling prominent ecological environment problems around the people, letting the people truly feel the improvement in the quality of the ecological environment." Only by upholding an attitude of high responsibility toward the people and placing ecological civilization construction in a more prominent position can we leave a beautiful home with blue skies, green land, and clear water for future generations.
Deepening the ecological ethics of "harmonious coexistence." Engels pointed out in Dialectics of Nature: "At every step we are reminded that we by no means rule over nature like a conqueror over a foreign people, like someone standing outside nature—but that we, with flesh, blood and brain, belong to nature, and exist in its midst." On one hand, nature provides the material and spiritual prerequisites for human survival and development: "The worker can create nothing without nature, without the sensuous external world." On the other hand, the process of the "humanization of nature" is inevitable and irreversible: "Nature, understood abstractly, in itself, fixed in isolation from man, is nothing for man." Humans achieve their own existence through productive labor that transforms nature, but natural resources are limited. When the intensity of human exploitation of natural resources exceeds the carrying capacity of nature itself, the internal balance of the ecosystem is broken, thereby threatening human survival and development. To address the imbalance in the relationship between humanity and nature, we can neither take the anthropocentric path of "human mastery" and exploitation of nature, nor the eco-centric path of "returning to the wilderness" and submitting to nature. Rather, we must achieve the well-rounded development of humans through the organic unity of natural and human values, and the organic unity of the "humanization of nature" and the "naturalization of man." The important discourses of General Secretary Xi Jinping on urban construction, rural revitalization, and ecological space governance collected in the Selected Works all reflect the ethical value that "humanity and nature are a community of life." For example, "Ensuring Residents Can See the Mountains, See the Water, and Remember Their 'Nostalgia' [Home Pathos]" (Rang jumin wangdejian shan, kandiejian shui, jinde zhu xiangchou) proposes that "every detail of urban planning and construction must consider the impact on nature, and must not break natural systems." "Seeking Green Life and Building a Beautiful Home Together" points out that "we must protect the ecological environment like we protect our eyes, and treat the ecological environment like we treat our lives." "Handling Several Major Relationships in Promoting Ecological Civilization Construction" emphasizes "fully respecting and conforming to nature, giving nature enough time and space to rest and recuperate, and relying on the power of nature to restore ecosystem balance." These important thoughts provide value guidance and fundamental compliance for our deep understanding of the laws of nature’s development and the relationship between humanity and nature, and for promoting the realization of harmony between humanity and nature.
Deepening the ecological practice view of "leading with concepts." Whether development concepts are appropriate fundamentally determines the effectiveness and even the success or failure of development. At the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core proposed the New Development Philosophy featuring innovation, coordination, greenness, openness, and sharing. The series of important discourses by General Secretary Xi Jinping on green development and lifestyles collected in the Selected Works point the way for promoting modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature and accelerating the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development, ensuring that advanced concepts are truly transformed into an intrinsic force guiding development. General Secretary Xi Jinping creatively proposed that "new quality productive forces are themselves green productive forces," implementing the concepts of conservation, protection, and low-carbon development into the practice of the green transition of economic development. This involves continuously promoting green scientific and technological innovation, strengthening green energy industries, and building green and low-carbon industrial clusters. We must focus on promoting a revolution in energy consumption, emphasizing that the conservation of energy and resources should be prioritized, and simultaneously "grasping with both hands" the resolution of overcapacity and the development of low-energy-consumption industries to achieve a profound adjustment of the industrial structure. We must focus on promoting a revolution in lifestyles, advocating for "simple, moderate, green, low-carbon, civilized, and healthy life concepts and consumption patterns," and guiding full public participation in ecological environmental protection through initiatives like the "Clean Your Plate Campaign" (Guangpan xingdong), waste sorting, and the "sharing economy." Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization breaks the limitations of the "binary opposition" thinking between economy and ecology found in the process of Western modernization, leading China in the New Era along a path of civilized development characterized by increased production, affluent living, and a sound ecosystem.
Deepening the ecological holistic view of "global co-governance." Mankind has only one Earth; protecting the ecological environment and promoting sustainable development is the common responsibility of all countries. "Forging a Path for Global Ecological Civilization and Striving to Build a Clean and Beautiful World," included in the Selected Works, mentions: "The international community should work together to forge a path for global ecological civilization, firmly establish the awareness of respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature, and persist in taking the path of green, low-carbon, circular, and sustainable development. In this regard, China has an undeniable responsibility and will continue to make its own contributions." Since the start of the New Era, China has firmly implemented its solemn commitment to "Nationally Determined Contributions" and has fully played its role as a responsible major power, making significant contributions to breaking through geopolitical dilemmas and facilitating international consensus. The article "Meeting the Challenges of the Times Together and Advancing Global Climate Governance Hand in Hand" points out: "China has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system and the world's largest and most complete new energy industrial chain. China is also the country that has 'greened' the world the fastest and the most, contributing one-fourth of the world's new green area." Since the establishment of the global climate governance framework by the Paris Agreement, China has earnestly implemented South-South cooperation in the field of climate change. Relying on the Belt and Road International Green Development Coalition, China has supported the ecological environmental protection efforts of developing countries through the extensive flow of capital, technology, and talent, responding with practical actions to malicious hype and groundless accusations like the "threat of the China model." China's practical actions demonstrate to the world that regardless of how the international situation changes, China’s actions to actively respond to climate change will not slow down, its efforts to promote international cooperation will not weaken, and its practice of promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity will not cease.
III. Striving to Write a New Chapter of Ecological Civilization Construction in the New Era
Currently, China’s ecological civilization construction is still in a critical period where pressures overlap and we must move forward under a heavy burden. We should combine our study of the Selected Works with a deep study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, placing the construction of a Beautiful China in a prominent position in building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation. We must support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment, making our motherland's skies bluer, mountains greener, water clearer, and the environment more beautiful.
Persist in and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out:
"Building a Beautiful China is an important objective in the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country, and we must persist in and strengthen the Party's comprehensive leadership." We must improve the work mechanism characterized by central coordination, provincial overall responsibility, and municipal and county-level implementation. It is necessary to establish and perfect an "accountability-evaluation-inspection" responsibility system for ecological governance, ensuring the strict enforcement of "equal responsibility for the Party and government" and "double responsibility for one's post" (党政同责、一岗双责) [9] regarding ecological and environmental protection. We must implement an evaluation mechanism where "performance must be rewarded and neglect of duty must be prosecuted," continuing to wield the "sharp sword" (利剑) [10] of environmental inspections and maintaining normalized external pressure through the strictest systems and most rigorous rule of law. As the primary responsible parties for ecological and environmental protection within their respective administrative regions, Party committees and governments at all levels should coordinate and implement the governance responsibilities of competent departments. They should actively show concern for and support the development of environmental protection teams. With a political character defined by the courage to take responsibility, the bravery to shoulder duties, and the skill to hold others accountable, they should stimulate the endogenous motivation for ecological governance, ensuring that the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and plans for building a Beautiful China take root and achieve practical results.
Accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. Promoting the greening and decarbonization of economic and social development is a key link in achieving high-quality development. We must firmly establish the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" [11], integrating the requirements of green transformation into the overall situation of economic and social development. We must advance green transformation across all dimensions, fields, and regions to construct a "life community of man and nature" (人与自然生命共同体). We must give full consideration to the developmental realities of different regions and industries, adhering to a combination of coordinated advancement and key breakthroughs. We should scientifically set timelines, roadmaps, and construction blueprints for green transformation, encouraging regions and sectors with the necessary conditions to take the lead in exploration. We must strengthen technological innovation, policy and institutional innovation, and business model innovation that support green transformation, promoting a green and low-carbon technological revolution. We should develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions (因地制宜) [12] and perfect the institutional system of ecological civilization to provide stronger innovative momentum and institutional guarantees for green transformation. We must coordinately manage the relationships between development and emission reduction, the whole and the parts, the present and the long term, and the government and the market. We must properly prevent and resolve internal and external risks and challenges faced during the green transformation, effectively ensuring food and energy security as well as the security of industrial and supply chains, thereby better protecting the production and lives of the people. We should vigorously advocate for life philosophies and consumption patterns that are simple, moderate, green, low-carbon, civilized, and healthy. We must extensively mobilize industrial parks, enterprises, communities, schools, families, and individuals to take active steps, making green travel, water and electricity conservation, the "Clean Your Plate Campaign" [13], and waste sorting a matter of habit, thus forming a social atmosphere that esteems ecological civilization among all people, in all matters, at all times, and in all places.
Provide Chinese solutions for global ecological governance. As an important participant, leader, and contributor to the construction of global ecological civilization, China actively promotes "North-South dialogue" on climate governance, continuously deepens "South-South cooperation," and unceasingly strengthens the building of the "Green Silk Road" to create a global ecological governance pattern of symbiotic interests, shared rights, and shared responsibilities. We must deeply advance international cooperation in fields such as green and low-carbon development, environmental protection, energy transition, and addressing climate change, providing more support to countries of the "Global South" in terms of capital, technology, and capacity building. We support the United Nations in enhancing its capacity to intervene in international environmental governance affairs and, through the UN, safeguard the discourse power and influence of the vast number of developing countries in global ecological governance. We must actively participate in various processes of global ecological and environmental governance, represented by climate change governance, and comprehensively and effectively implement the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We should strengthen exchanges on issues such as biodiversity protection and addressing climate change to promote the perfection of global ecological governance.