Governance Dimension of Xi Jinping
Thought on Ecological Civilization
Zhen Lin
It is the CPC’s unwavering aspiration and mission to build China into a great modern
socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the twenty-first century. Modernizing the
systems and capabilities of ecological governance is the only way and necessary
guarantee for building a beautiful China. Since the People’s Republic of China was
founded 70 years ago, China has explored many innovative experiences in ecological
governance, blazed a trail of ecological progress with Chinese characteristics, developed the Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and made historic achievements in eco-environmental protection. The formation of the Xi Jinping Thought on
Ecological Civilization is attributed to the General Secretary’s experience in ecoenvironmental construction and protection and the lessons he has drawn from it, and
also to his systematic thinking on eco-civilization and sustainable development. On
the dimension of modernizing the ecological governance system and capability, this
paper reviews Xi Jinping’s green governance experience when he was working as
the head of local governments, elaborates on the connotations of the eco-governance
system, and offers suggestions on enhancing the governing capability.
1 Xi Jinping’s Experience in Local Green Governance
1. Liangjiahe: the first methane tank in northern Shaanxi
In January 1969, the 15-year-old Xi Jinping left Beijing to the loess plateau in
northern Shaanxi that was known for its harsh natural environment. From 1969
to 1975, Xi stayed in Liangjiahe for seven years, a period that changed his life. Xi
once recalled with deep feelings that “when I came to the loess at the age of 15,
Z. Lin (B)
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_20
221
Thought on Ecological Civilization
Zhen Lin
It is the CPC’s unwavering aspiration and mission to build China into a great modern
socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the twenty-first century. Modernizing the
systems and capabilities of ecological governance is the only way and necessary
guarantee for building a beautiful China. Since the People’s Republic of China was
founded 70 years ago, China has explored many innovative experiences in ecological
governance, blazed a trail of ecological progress with Chinese characteristics, developed the Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and made historic achievements in eco-environmental protection. The formation of the Xi Jinping Thought on
Ecological Civilization is attributed to the General Secretary’s experience in ecoenvironmental construction and protection and the lessons he has drawn from it, and
also to his systematic thinking on eco-civilization and sustainable development. On
the dimension of modernizing the ecological governance system and capability, this
paper reviews Xi Jinping’s green governance experience when he was working as
the head of local governments, elaborates on the connotations of the eco-governance
system, and offers suggestions on enhancing the governing capability.
1 Xi Jinping’s Experience in Local Green Governance
1. Liangjiahe: the first methane tank in northern Shaanxi
In January 1969, the 15-year-old Xi Jinping left Beijing to the loess plateau in
northern Shaanxi that was known for its harsh natural environment. From 1969
to 1975, Xi stayed in Liangjiahe for seven years, a period that changed his life. Xi
once recalled with deep feelings that “when I came to the loess at the age of 15,
Z. Lin (B)
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_20
221