To build ecological civilization is a great plan for the well-being of the people and the future of the nation. It is also an important part of the Chinese dream of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. As Xi Jinping pointed out while answering the questions of students at Nazarbayev University in 2013, “We need to keep green hills and clear waters, but to explore gold and silver mines. We prefer green hills and clear waters to gold and silver mines, and green hills and clear waters themselves are gold and silver mines.” This is a vivid expression of the attitude and determination of China to vigorously promote the construction of ecological civilization, and meanwhile, it also spreads the idea to the world.

On March 24, 2015, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee reviewed and endorsed the Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of Ecological Civilization. The important concept of “insisting that green hills and clear waters are gold and silver mines” was written into the central files, which has provided a theoretical support for the proposal the concept of green development in “the 13th Five-Year Plan”.

In January 2017, Xi Jinping expressed China’s determination to the United Nations during his speech at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. “We cannot live off the achievements of our ancestors, compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and attain development in a destructive way. Green hills and clear waters are equal to gold and silver mines. We should follow the principle of harmony between man and nature, nature philosophy, and pursue sustainable development. We should follow the concept of the harmony between man and nature and the philosophy of nature and seek a path of sustainable development.” We should promote green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable production mode and lifestyle, and balance and promote the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and consistently explore the path of civilized development by boosting production, improving people’s life and protecting the environment. The reaching of the Paris Agreement is a milestone in the history of global climate governance. All parties should jointly promote the implementation of the Agreement. China will continue to tackle climate change, and assume all its obligations.

On May 26, 2017, Xi Jinping put forward 6 major tasks in promoting the formation of green development mode and lifestyle: Accelerate the transformation of the pattern economic development. Intensify the comprehensive treatment of environmental pollution. Accelerate ecological protection and rehabilitation. Comprehensively promote resource conservation and intensive utilization. Advocate and promote green consumption. Perfect the system of ecological civilization.

“The existence and development of all things follow certain objective rules.” China will take the construction of ecological civilization as the important content of the 13th Five-Year Plan, implement the development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing through scientific and technological innovation and the innovation of system and mechanism, and form a new modern construction pattern of the harmonious development of man and nature.

In May 2016, the United Nations Environment Program specially released the report Green Hills and Clear Waters are Gold and Silver Mines: The Strategy and Action of Ecological Civilization in China, which fully endorsed the initiatives and achievements of China’s construction of ecological civilization.