Government News
'Two mountains' concept illuminates a sustainable future for the world 2025-08-17
On August 15, 2005, during an inspection tour to Yucun in Anji County, East China's Zhejiang Province, Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, put forward the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." 20 years later, the concept that is also known as the "two mountains" concept has become a core idea in Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, while building a Beautiful China has become a broad consensus and conscious action in Chinese society. This scientific conclusion has profoundly reshaped China's development trajectory, become an important guidance for building an ecological civilization and provided Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for global sustainable development.The "two mountains" concept offers a profound explanation of the essence of ecological civilization. The vision that "we want both lucid waters and lush mountains as well as mountains of gold and silver" emphasizes that the environment and development are not opposites but are organically unified - lucid waters and lush mountains are the foundation of survival, while mountains of gold and silver are the source of development. The idea that "we would rather have lucid waters and lush mountains than mountains of gold and silver" completely abandons the old path of sacrificing the environment for growth and scientifically defining the relationship between survival and development. "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" marks a leap in the concept of development, revealing that high-quality ecology is itself a valuable economic resource, that ecological protection can generate economic value and that ecological advantages can be directly transformed into development advantages - thus reconstructing the relationship between ecology and economy.
In the face of pressing resource constraints, environmental pollution, and ecosystem degradation, the "two mountains" concept has guided China onto a path of green development, effectively addressing the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development.
The environment in which people now live has undergone tremendous changes: Skies are bluer, mountains greener and waters clearer; beautiful villages have reappeared; ecological conservation red lines have been firmly established; the green, low-carbon and circular economic development system is being built at an accelerated pace; ecological agriculture and eco-tourism are thriving; green finance and the digital economy are empowering new growth; and hundreds of millions of people are living in the picturesque scenery reminiscent of the ancient Chinese painting "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains," with ecological awareness continuously on the rise and behavioral patterns quietly changing.
China's successful practice in building an ecological civilization offers profound inspiration for global development and the progress of human civilization. China has successfully explored a path to green modernization under the conditions of a large population and tight resource constraints, providing valuable experience for the vast number of developing nations facing similar challenges.
From the overseas promotion of photovoltaic power generation and biogas fermentation, to the introduction of the "rice-duck" ecological farming system in Africa, to clean hydropower projects in the Amazon basin that come with forest compensation and wildlife protection measures, China's practice has proven that implementing the "two mountains" concept is replicable, affordable and sustainable. This concept not only makes lucid waters and lush mountains the foundation of happiness for the Chinese people, but also injects momentum into global sustainable development through green industries, green technologies and green cooperation.
From the perspective of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, the global ecological crisis knows no borders and no country can remain unaffected. The pattern of some developed countries exporting pollution and engaging in extravagant consumption is unsustainable.
China's "two mountains" concept and its implementation seek to achieve harmony between humans and nature, between nations and humankind and between the present and the future, thereby constructing a new form of civilization that transcends the limitations of Western industrial civilization. The Earth is the one and only home for all humanity, and building an ecological civilization urgently requires upgraded global governance. This calls for rejecting unilateralism, building a fair new international economic order, incorporating ecological civilization into the guarantees of global institutions and advancing global political cooperation to lay an "ecological foundation" for the community with a shared future for humanity.
As the concept that "Green is gold" spreads across the globe, the "two mountains" concept is gaining increasing resonance worldwide day by day. Many foreign scholars believe this concept, rooted in humanism, precisely articulates the core logic that ecological resources are economic capital. It transcends narrow utilitarianism and short-termism, offering a convincing alternative model of development. Especially at a time when climate change is an urgent global challenge, this guidance is timely, visionary and inspiring. China's implementation of the "two mountains" concept demonstrates the contribution of a responsible major power to world peace and development.
Having been practiced for two decades, the "two mountains" concept offers an impressive and inspiring "Chinese answer." This represents not only a profound transformation in China's own development model, but also a major contribution to the progress of human civilization. It proves that environmental protection and economic growth can advance hand in hand. Roses planted to "lock" the edges of deserts, while barren hills turned green with fruit-laden trees - such scenes will not only continue to unfold across a "Beautiful China," but will also inspire resonance in the development paths of many countries. The wisdom and practice of China's ecological civilization are lighting and will continue to light the path toward a shared and sustainable future for the world.
Source: Global Times
Application Status
| 04-16 | 21315227 | Processing |
| 03-12 | 21315226 | Processing |
| 09-26 | 21315225 | Processing |
Inquiry Status
| 02-29 | 02131558 | Received |
| 03-06 | 02131557 | Received |
| 11-14 | 02131556 | Received |
FAQ
Q: Q: Is there a place where I can get...
A: A: Log on to http://touch.shio.gov....
A: A: Log on to http://touch.shio.gov....
Q: Q: What is the easiest way to set u...
A: A: 1. Log on to http://touch.shio.g...
A: A: 1. Log on to http://touch.shio.g...
Q: Where can I get an English map of S...
A: English maps of Shanghai are availa...
A: English maps of Shanghai are availa...
