BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Sunday marks the International Day for Biological Diversity with the theme of "Building a shared future for all life."
The slogan was chosen to continue building momentum and support for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework expected to be adopted at the upcoming second phase of 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).
Over the past years, China has committed to strengthening biodiversity protection and building a clean and beautiful world, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization. On various occasions, Xi has expounded on his version that stresses harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
Sept. 7, 2013
"Clean waters and green mountains are just as valuable as gold and silver." This aphorism of harmony between environmental protection and economic development made its international debut when Xi answered a student's question at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan, and has been reiterated by him on global occasions ever since.
He stressed that economic development must not come at the price of the ecology.
Sept. 26, 2015
When addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, Xi said "efforts must be made to realize a coordinated development of the economy, society and environment and achieve harmonious coexistence between man and society and between man and nature."
Jan. 18, 2017
"Until today, Earth is still the only home to mankind, so to care for and cherish it is the only option for us mankind," Xi stressed in a keynote speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
"We should not only think about our own generation, but also take responsibility for future ones," he added.
April 28, 2019
Declaring the opening of the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing, Xi highlighted the importance of concerted efforts to meet common challenges.
"In the face of environmental challenges, all countries are in a community with destinies linked, and no country can stay immune," Xi said.
"We must protect this planet like our own eyes, and cherish nature the way we cherish life," he added.
Sept. 30, 2020
When delivering a speech at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, Xi stressed the "interdependence between man and nature."
"It falls to all of us to act together and urgently to advance protection and development in parallel, so that we can turn Earth into a beautiful homeland for all creatures to live in harmony," he said.
April 22, 2021
When addressing the Leaders Summit on Climate, Xi said that faced with unprecedented challenges in global environmental governance, the international community must act with unprecedented ambition and action.
"I am confident that as long as we unite in our purposes and efforts and work together with solidarity and mutual assistance, we will rise above the global climate and environment challenges and leave a clean and beautiful world to future generations," he said.
Oct. 12, 2021
When addressing the leaders' summit of the COP15, Xi cited a Chinese saying that "all beings flourish when they live in harmony and receive nourishment from nature."
"Biodiversity makes Earth full of vigor and vitality, and lays the foundation for human survival and development," he said, noting that protecting biodiversity helps protect Earth, our common homeland, and contributes to humanity's sustainable development.
"Ecological civilization represents the development trend of human civilization. Let us join hands, follow the philosophy of ecological civilization and shoulder our responsibility for future generations. Let us make joint efforts to build a community of all life on Earth, and a clean and beautiful world for us all," Xi said. ■
