Xi calls for pollution tackling and ecological advancement

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02:26

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for winning the battle against pollution and promoting the construction of an ecological civilization to a new level.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the 8th National Conference on Environmental Protection held in Beijing from Friday to Saturday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks during a tone-setting meeting on environmental protection in Beijing, capital of China. The two-day national conference ended on May 19, 2018. / Xinhua Photo

Xi said the country will channel more energy into promoting ecological civilization and resolving environmental problems, backed by the political advantages of the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC and the socialist system, as well as the achievements made during the 40 years of reform and opening-up.

Xi emphasized in his speech that the construction of ecological civilization is a fundamental plan for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. On the whole, the quality of China's ecological environment has continued to improve, but the achievements so far have not yet been fully "consolidated."

China has now reached a critical period when it comes to protecting the environment, with public expectations growing. China's economy has shifted from a high-speed growth phase to a high-quality development phase and it needs to cross some conventional and non-conventional thresholds. "We must clench our teeth, climb over this slope, and pass this ridge," Xi said.

"We must speed up the construction of an ecological civilization system and ensure that by 2035 the ecology and environment is fundamentally improved and that our goal of building a beautiful China is basically achieved," Xi added.

Xi pointed out that we must fully promote green development which is an indispensable requirement for the construction of a high-quality, modern economic system and a fundamental solution to the problem of pollution.

Aerial photo shows rhino lake spot at Jiuzhaigou scenic area in southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 17, 2018. /Xinhua Photo)

Xi stressed that it is necessary to solve salient ecological problems and winning the battle for blue skies is a top priority. There should be rigid requirements to significantly improve the air quality to basically eliminate days of heavy pollution under an enhanced measure of joint prevention and control.

New as the phrase blue-sky battle proposed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the 2017 government work report, it is not new for China to take measures to curb air pollution. The country issued the Action Plan on Air Pollution Prevention and Control, also known as "ten measures for air," early in 2013.

China's measures have paid off

PM2.5 levels in some of the most heavily polluted areas were down by 30 percent since 2013, as Li mentioned in the government work report. Air quality in Beijing and its surrounding regions including Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province – 13 cities in total – has improved by about 40 percent compared with 2013 levels.

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Li Ganjie, Minister of Ecological Environment, announced at the press conference for the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress that all five targets of the action plan have been achieved, or even exceeded in the past five years.

“We are working on a three-year plan to protect the blue skies,” said Li, concerning the goal of the density of PM 2.5 by 2020. “Some goals may remain the same while some may go higher, based on the 13th Five-Year Plan for environmental protection.”

Besides air pollution, tackling water and soil pollution are also high on the agenda.

Xi called for further implementation of the “Action Plan on Air Pollution Prevention and Control” to guarantee the drinking water safety and wipe out urban black and odorous water. China will also fully carry out the action plan on soil and strengthen the management and restoration of soil pollution.

Meanwhile, Xi said that ecological risks should be prevented and eco-environmental safety is an important part of national security and a guarantee for a sustained healthy economic and social development.

Xi said that market measures should be fully practiced to improve the level of environmental governance and a national strategy for climate change should be applied to promote and guide the establishment of a fair and reasonable global climate governance system that promotes win-win cooperation and "building a human community with shared destiny."

Aerial photo shows the scenery of Aha wetland park in southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 17, 2018. / Xinhua Photo

Premier Li also made a speech during the meeting. Li is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Li said that the improvement of environmental governance ability should be via reform and innovation, the fiscal capital investment mechanism should be normalized as well as stabilized, a sound environmental investment mechanism should be diversified, and structural tax cuts conducive to green development should be published.

"We will continue to implement reforms in the area of decentralization in a simple and decentralized manner, and put more power into the postmortem monitoring of events including environmental protection," Li said.

Also attending the meeting were several members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee including Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee; and Zhao Leji, secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng made the concluding speech. Han is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

The conference is held every five to seven years. It was last held in December 2011 in Beijing.

(With inputs from Xinhua)