Strategy for Sustainable Development

China has a large population and limited resources. Ever since the policy of reform and opening up was initiated, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have been attaching great importance to the issue of sustainable development. China’s Agenda 21 adopted by the State Council in March 1994 reconfirmed the imperative to promote sustainable development. A Program of Action on Sustainable Development in the Early 21st Century unveiled by the State Council in early 2003 outlined sustainable development goals, areas of focus and measures to achieve these goals in the following 10 to 20 years. New sustainable development measures were also proposed at the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th CPC national congresses.

Sustainable development is key to the survival of our nation and to the wellbeing of generations to come. It is a cross-cutting, long-term issue of fundamental importance. A sustainable development strategy was identified in the report to the 19th CPC National Congress as one of the seven strategies for realizing the goal of building a moderately prosperous society.

Underpinning this strategy is the concept of coordination and interaction between social, economic, demographic and environmental forces. The strategy covers ecological, economic and social sustainability. It promotes economic development while protecting natural resources and the environment. It aims to improve the wellbeing of the people, and to ensure that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the chance and potential of future generations.

The strategy is informed by a people-centered approach, a vision for harmony between man and nature, and the need for eco-friendly economic development. Science and technology and institutional reform will play a critical role in improving the wellbeing of the people.

By placing the sustainable development strategy in a new context, the report to the 19th CPC National Congress outlined for the first time the goal of building a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. Environmental protection has thus become an important element of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.

可持續發展戰略

中國是人口眾多、資源相對不足的國家。改革開放以來，中共中央、國務院高度重視中國的可持續發展，1994年3月，國務院通過《中國21世紀議程》，確定實施可持續發展戰略。2003年初，國務院頒布《中國21世紀初可持續發展行動綱要》，明確未來10到20年的可持續發展目標、重點和保障措施。中共十五大、十六大、十七大、十八大，都對可持續發展戰略提出新要求。可持續發展戰略事關中華民族的長遠發展，事關子孫后代福祉，具有全局性、根本性、長期性。中共十九大報告將可持續發展戰略確定為決勝全面建成小康社會需要堅定實施的七大戰略之一。

可持續發展是基于社會、經濟、人口、資源、環境相互協調和共同發展的理論和戰略，主要包括生態可持續發展、經濟可持續發展和社會可持續發展，要求堅持不懈地全面推進經濟社會與人口、資源和生態環境相協調，不斷提高中國的綜合國力和競爭力。其以保護自然資源環境為基礎，以激勵經濟發展為條件，以改善和提高人類生活質量為目標，以既能相對滿足當代人的需求，又不能對后代的發展構成危害為宗旨。實施可持續發展戰略的指導思想是堅持以人為本，主線是人與自然相和諧，核心是經濟發展，根本出發點是提高人民群眾生活質量，突破口是科技和體制創新。中共十九大報告賦予可持續發展戰略新的時代內涵，首次提出建設“富強民主文明和諧美麗”的社會主義現代化強國目標，生態文明建設上升為新時代中國特色社會主義的重要組成部分。