Translators' Voices: 'Two mountains' concept presents a fundamental shift in how development should work: Global Times

BEIJING, Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

Editor's Note:

August 15 marks the National Ecology Day. During an inspection tour to Yucun village, Anji county in East China's Zhejiang Province on August 15, 2005, Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), for the first time put forward the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, ecological civilization has been placed in the country's "five-sphere" integrated plan. The concept has become the core philosophy and action framework for China's eco-civilization construction, ushering in a new chapter for China's ecological civilization. Guided by this philosophy, the country has achieved historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection, which has become a distinctive feature of the historic accomplishments and transformations in the cause of the Party and the country.

The book series of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China includes several important speeches on ecological construction. Chinese President Xi's directive on China's first National Ecology Day in 2023 is included in Volume V of the book series. President Xi said "I hope our whole society acts now to promote and apply the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. Through solid and sustained efforts, we will make a greater contribution to building a clean and beautiful world."

In the 10^th installment of the special series "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," the Global Times, along with People's Daily Overseas Edition, explores the theme: China's innovative approach in ecological conservation and its global impact. We continue to invite Chinese and foreign scholars, translators of Xi's works, practitioners with firsthand experience, and international readers to discuss how the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" and relevant practices contribute to sustainable development, global ecological governance and building a community with a shared future for humanity.

In the 10th article of the "Translators' Voices" column, Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen interviewed Dr. Khosraw Ubaidy (Ubaidy), who was a member of the editorial committee of translators of the Dari edition of the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China.

GT: The newly published volume V of the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China included Xi's directives on the first National Ecology Day in 2023, in which he expressed hope that the whole society acts now to promote and apply the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. The concept has become a guiding principle for China's ecological civilization construction, clarifying the relationship between economic development and environmental protection. From your perspective, what specific policies has China implemented to balance ecological protection and economic growth? How can this guiding principle and these specific policies provide lessons for global sustainable development?

Ubaidy: China's famous saying, "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," isn't just a concept – it presents a fundamental shift in how development should work. Instead of sacrificing nature for short-term economic gains, China has developed policies that treat the environment as invaluable assets. Take the "ecological red lines" program, which protects nearly a third of the country's land from destructive development. Or consider China's substantial investments in solar and wind power, demonstrating that cutting emissions doesn't mean sacrificing growth. Even heavy industries now face strict pollution controls, while rural areas profit from eco-tourism and organic farming, turning untouched landscapes into sustainable sources of income.

What's revolutionary here is the mind-set: economic progress and environmental health aren't enemies – they're partners. China's approach shows that developing countries can leapfrog non-clean phases of growth entirely. For Global South nations, this is a game-changer. Why repeat the mistakes of coal-dependent 20th-century development when today's tech allows cleaner paths? China's model proves that protecting forests, rivers, and farmland isn't anti-growth – it's the only growth that lasts. The lesson? True prosperity isn't just GDP numbers; it's breathable air, drinkable water, and stable climates. As climate disasters escalate, this isn't just China's strategy – it's the world's necessary future.

GT: In his speech at a national conference on ecological and environmental protection in 2023, Xi emphasized that the Party's overall leadership must be upheld and strengthened. The five volumes of the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China provide elaboration on ecological civilization. How do you view the leadership role of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in the construction of China's ecological civilization?

Ubaidy: Viewed from a governance and philosophical perspective, the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core frames ecological civilization not merely as an environmental policy, but as a developmental paradigm that binds ecological, economic, social, and political objectives into a single continuum. President Xi's leadership, as articulated in the book on Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and echoed in Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, elevates top-level design, long-term planning, and cross‑sector coordination to ensure that ecological goals become systemically embedded in law, finance, industry, and regional development.

GT: China has put forward a new development philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all, incorporating the "dual carbon" goals (peak carbon and carbon neutrality) into its national strategy. How do these top-level designs reflect the core of China's high-quality development and ecological civilization construction?

Ubaidy: China's new development philosophy, alongside its "dual carbon" goals, has redefined economic and social priorities by embedding sustainability into the core of growth. Innovation now drives high-value sectors like AI and renewables, reducing reliance on low-end manufacturing, while coordinated development bridges regional disparities through strategic infrastructure and supply chain integration. Green transformation enforces strict ecological accountability, scaling renewable energy (solar/wind capacity surpassing 1,200 GW) and penalizing high-pollution industries, reflecting a shift from GDP-centric growth to "ecological civilization." Openness, under the dual-circulation model, strengthens domestic demand while positioning China as a leader in global green tech, evidenced by its dominance in EVs and battery production. The "dual carbon" targets act as structural discipline, accelerating coal phase-outs and carbon trading to align growth with decarbonization. This top-down redesign synthesizes Marxist dialectics with ecological modernity, shaping development as a sustainable recalibration of China's civilizational trajectory where economic vigor and environmental stewardship are inextricably linked.

GT: In 2013, Xi mentioned in his congratulatory message to the Eco Forum Annual Global Conference Guiyang that leave to future generations a working and living environment with a blue sky, green fields and clean water. In his inspection tour at the Qinling Mountains in Niubeiliang National Nature Reserve in northwest China's Shaanxi Province in 2020, Xi said that ecological conservation and environmental protection are contemporary causes that will benefit many generations to come. What is your understanding of this long-term perspective?

Ubaidy: China's long-term ecological governance philosophy centers on ecological civilization – a holistic, value-driven framework that ties development to the health of the natural world. This treats nature not as a mere resource but as a common inheritance and a bedrock of social justice and human well-being, embodying intergenerational responsibility and harmony between people and the environment.

Practically, it rests on a systematic governance architecture: the integrated plan, cross-department coordination, ecological red lines, and market-based tools like carbon trading, all aimed at achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. It fuses green finance, clean technology, and public participation to mobilize both markets and communities. The approach seeks to stabilize ecosystems, improve living environments, and sustain inclusive growth, building resilience in the face of climate and ecological risks.

In sum, China's ecological governance combines a dignified, future-oriented philosophy with a robust, multi-level institutional toolkit, pursuing sustainable prosperity while honoring the planet's finite boundaries.

GT: President Xi proposed the concepts of "strengthening biodiversity conservation" and "building a community of all life on the Earth," and called on all countries to work together to address challenges such as biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. How do you evaluate this approach to transforming ecological values into international action? In the current international political climate, how can China cooperate with more countries in the ecological field?

Ubaidy: Xi's proposals ground biodiversity protection in a universal ethic of stewardship and interdependence, turning ecological values into international norms that unite diverse publics around shared stakes rather than ideological lines. The idea of a "community of all life" echoes cosmopolitan duties and intergenerational justice: Today's choices shape tomorrow's life support systems.

To translate values into action, China can leverage multiple channels: strengthen global governance by embedding biodiversity in multilateral frameworks, align targets with the Sustainable Development Goals, and establish clear, science-based metrics; promote openness and cooperation through joint research, technology transfer, capacity building, and open data sharing; mobilize finance and incentives via green finance, biodiversity focused investments, debt relief for biodiversity projects, and mechanisms that invite private-sector participation; and engage civil society and culture through education, media, and science to sustain public support. To broaden buy-in, China can lead by example, honor diverse responsibilities, invite inclusive dialogue, and offer win-win partnerships that deliver concrete biodiversity gains while advancing development and energy transition.

SOURCE Global Times