June 5 marks World Environment Day. This year's theme is "Connecting People to Nature," which encourages people to go outdoors and into nature to appreciate its beauty and understand its importance. 

Environmental protection, in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s eyes,  should be treated as our lifeline and protected like the apple of our eye. 

“My hope is that every day we will see a blue sky, green mountains and clear rivers not just in Beijing, but all across China, so that our children will live in an enjoyable environment. This is a very important part of the Chinese Dream,“ said President Xi. 

On many occasions, Xi has called for a greater effort to promote green development, as the country seeks to better balance its economic growth and environmental protection.