Greener path to health and harmony

The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has emphasized that China must establish an ecological civilization by incorporating it into the country's economic, political, cultural, and social advancement. This will further enrich the Scientific Outlook on Development and meet the intrinsic requirements for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, signifying that China's modernization transition has officially entered a new phase in its bid to build an all-round well-off society.

This innovative vision has been formed against a profound historical background. During its three-decades of reform and opening-up, China has focused on economic development that has largely improved the material standard of living of the Chinese people, and realized the modernization objective of building an overall well-off society, however, environmental protection and the conservation of resources have been neglected.

The industrialization process in developed economies shows that when socioeconomic development reaches a certain level, the public's awareness of environmental protection significantly increases.