“Green Mountains Are Gold Mountains”
The comparison of green mountains with gold mountains was first made by Xi Jinping in 2005 when he was secretary of Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), he has on multiple occasions reiterated this idea. While visiting Kazakhstan in 2013, he said, “We want to have not only mountains of gold, but also mountains of green. If we must choose between the two, we would rather have the green than the gold. And in any case, green maintains are themselves gold mountains.”
This metaphor reflects a people-centered approach to people’s wellbeing, an approach that emphasizes the importance of harmony between man and nature, and embodies the unwavering resolve of the Party and the government to preserve and protect the natural environment. It also represents a fundamental shift in our development strategies, requiring respect and protection for nature in our development efforts. Resource conservation and environmental protection have thus been incorporated into our basic national policy, along with economic, political, cultural and social development. The goal is to place China on a path to green development, so as to build a beautiful China. Equity and justice is an essential part of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it is a lofty goal of the CPC.
China has stepped up its efforts to build up institutions that play an important role in the protection of social equity and justice, with the goal of putting in place a social justice protection system based on equity in rights, obligations, opportunities and rules, in a fair social environment where everyone enjoys the equal right to participation and development.
The CPC and state leaders have set important targets for the protection of social equity and justice. In November 2013, for instance, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, indicated in his note on the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on a Few Major Issues on Further Reform in Different Areas that “a fair competitive environment” and “further progress in achieving social equity and justice” should be important targets as China implements further reform in all respects. On another occasion in January 2014 at the CPC Political and
Legal Work Conference, Xi emphasized that social equity