The Strategy to Promote the “Win–Win” Development of Economy …
305
In November 2013, while making explanatory notes for Decision of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China on Some Major Issues Concerning
Comprehensively Deepening the Reform, Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out that, “Our
mountains, waters, forests, farmlands and lakes form a community of life. The lifeline
of the people comes from the farmland, that of the farmland comes from the water,
that of the water comes from the mountain, that of the mountain comes from the
earth, and that of the earth comes from the tree. To control the exploitation of natural
resources and restore the ecosystem, we must follow the laws of Nature. If people
only tend to their own responsibilities, for example, growing trees, regulating rivers
or protecting farmlands in isolation, they are prone to gaining in one area and losing
in another, which eventually leads to systemic destruction of the ecology.”
At the 5th meeting of the CPC Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic
Affairs in March 2014, Comrade Xi Jinping went further to note that “We must
systematically consider the means of taxation and price. We should distinguish
between producers and consumers, drinking water and sewage, surface water and
groundwater, water use in urban and rural areas, water use for industrial and agricultural purposes, in an effort to study and put forward a package of solutions for water
resource tax, raw water fee, tap water fee, and sewage treatment fee. Based on the
actual situation, it shall be implemented level by level and step by step.”
Judging from the current development of the ecological civilization in China,
the unsystematic problem is still quite prominent, which is a key explanation for
the difficulty to form a long-term mechanism in many tasks. We must follow the
guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts in this regard and
make painful efforts to solve the problem.
7. Environmental quality can only get better, not worse
For a large country in a transitional period like China, the development of ecological
civilization must adhere to the bottom-line thinking and in the meanwhile, proceed
from the basic national conditions to determine the goals and measures in a realistic
manner. At the 5th meeting of the CPC Central Leading Group for Financial and
Economic Affairs in March 2014, Comrade Xi Jinping said that “The environmental
problems in China have been accumulated over a long time. It didn’t happen in
one day. However, we will put an end to the environmental deterioration. The CPC
members should have such vision and determination.”
Towards the end of the inspection tour in Beijing in February 2014, Comrade Xi
Jinping pointed out that “The primary task of tackling smog pollution and improving
air quality is to control PM 2.5. It’s a bit earlier for China to meet the international
standards in terms of PM 2.5, since it’s difficult for the development stage of China.
However, we should notice that the issue has raised the concern of the vast number
of leaders and the public, as well as the international community. We must address
the problem. We should always make sure to respond to public demands.”
When talking about environmental issues, Comrade Xi Jinping often mentioned
“to get only better, not worse.” It indicates the bottom-line thinking of “not getting
worse,” reflects the scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts based on the national
305
In November 2013, while making explanatory notes for Decision of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China on Some Major Issues Concerning
Comprehensively Deepening the Reform, Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out that, “Our
mountains, waters, forests, farmlands and lakes form a community of life. The lifeline
of the people comes from the farmland, that of the farmland comes from the water,
that of the water comes from the mountain, that of the mountain comes from the
earth, and that of the earth comes from the tree. To control the exploitation of natural
resources and restore the ecosystem, we must follow the laws of Nature. If people
only tend to their own responsibilities, for example, growing trees, regulating rivers
or protecting farmlands in isolation, they are prone to gaining in one area and losing
in another, which eventually leads to systemic destruction of the ecology.”
At the 5th meeting of the CPC Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic
Affairs in March 2014, Comrade Xi Jinping went further to note that “We must
systematically consider the means of taxation and price. We should distinguish
between producers and consumers, drinking water and sewage, surface water and
groundwater, water use in urban and rural areas, water use for industrial and agricultural purposes, in an effort to study and put forward a package of solutions for water
resource tax, raw water fee, tap water fee, and sewage treatment fee. Based on the
actual situation, it shall be implemented level by level and step by step.”
Judging from the current development of the ecological civilization in China,
the unsystematic problem is still quite prominent, which is a key explanation for
the difficulty to form a long-term mechanism in many tasks. We must follow the
guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts in this regard and
make painful efforts to solve the problem.
7. Environmental quality can only get better, not worse
For a large country in a transitional period like China, the development of ecological
civilization must adhere to the bottom-line thinking and in the meanwhile, proceed
from the basic national conditions to determine the goals and measures in a realistic
manner. At the 5th meeting of the CPC Central Leading Group for Financial and
Economic Affairs in March 2014, Comrade Xi Jinping said that “The environmental
problems in China have been accumulated over a long time. It didn’t happen in
one day. However, we will put an end to the environmental deterioration. The CPC
members should have such vision and determination.”
Towards the end of the inspection tour in Beijing in February 2014, Comrade Xi
Jinping pointed out that “The primary task of tackling smog pollution and improving
air quality is to control PM 2.5. It’s a bit earlier for China to meet the international
standards in terms of PM 2.5, since it’s difficult for the development stage of China.
However, we should notice that the issue has raised the concern of the vast number
of leaders and the public, as well as the international community. We must address
the problem. We should always make sure to respond to public demands.”
When talking about environmental issues, Comrade Xi Jinping often mentioned
“to get only better, not worse.” It indicates the bottom-line thinking of “not getting
worse,” reflects the scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts based on the national