From June 6 to 5, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Bayannur in Inner Mongolia and presided over a symposium. The theme of the meeting is: strengthening the comprehensive control of desertification and promoting the construction of key ecological projects such as the "three norths".

"It is necessary to adhere to the concept of system, solidly promote the integrated protection of landscapes, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass and sand, and systematic governance", "We must highlight the key points of governance and make every effort to fight the three landmark battles"... Proceeding from a systematic perspective, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made comprehensive arrangements for fighting the "Three North" project.

"Adhering to the system concept" is the epistemology and methodology of desertification prevention and control in the new era, and it is also one of the positions and viewpoints that run through Xi Jinping's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Community of life

On the morning of the 6th, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the state-owned Xinhua Forest Farm in Bayannur Linhe District, Inner Mongolia, to learn about the construction of the "Three North" shelter forest system.

"Landscapes, forests, lakes, grass and sand", ecology is a unified natural system, an interdependent and closely related organic chain. In the heart of General Secretary Xi Jinping, "the lifeblood of man is in the field, the lifeblood of the field is in the water, the lifeblood of the water is in the mountain, the lifeblood of the mountain is in the soil, and the lifeline of the soil is in the forest and grass, and this community of life is the material basis for the survival and development of mankind."

The important exposition of "community of life" embodies the scientific method of systems thinking.

In November 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Shanshui Lintian Lake is a community of life. Later, he included "grass" and "sand".

From "landscape forest field lake" to "landscape forest lake grass and sand", the increase in the number of words reflects the process of gradually deepening the understanding of system governance and enriching the connotation.

Adhering to the integrated protection and systematic management of landscapes, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands and sands, the general secretary stressed at this symposium that "it is necessary to coordinate the protection and restoration of forests, grasslands, wetlands and deserts, strengthen the coordination and management of all elements of desertification, water and mountain control, and strive to cultivate healthy, stable and functional forests, grasslands, wetlands and desert ecosystems."

"Community of life" means that mountains, waters, forests, lakes, grass and sand are inseparable ecosystems. "Use control and ecological restoration must follow the laws of nature, and if those who plant trees only manage trees, those who control water only manage water, and those who protect fields simply protect fields, it is easy to lose sight of one and the other, and eventually cause systematic ecological damage."

The general secretary called for "taking into account all elements of the natural ecology in accordance with the internal laws of the ecosystem, so as to achieve the goal of enhancing the recycling capacity of the ecosystem and maintaining ecological balance".

The general secretary also reminded that it is necessary to calculate the big account, the long-term account, the overall account, and the comprehensive account; if the small loses the big and the other is neglected, it will inevitably cause systematic and long-term damage to the ecological environment.

National "one game of chess"

The "Three Norths" project, stretching from Xinjiang in the west to Heilongjiang in the east, is a green Great Wall that stretches for thousands of miles.

"Build the green barrier of the northern Xinjiang of the motherland more solidly", in the national "chess game" of ecological civilization construction, the "three north" project plays a pivotal role.

To fight a tough battle for the "Three Norths" project, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed at this symposium that "it is necessary to strengthen regional joint prevention and joint management and break administrative boundaries."

Those who do not seek the overall situation are not enough to seek a domain. The governance of the two mother rivers also runs through the national system concept of "one game of chess".

On September 2019, 9, at the symposium on ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, the general secretary warned the leading comrades present that "the development along the Yellow River must have a sense of the overall situation, consider from the perspective of the country and the overall situation, and firmly establish the idea of 'one game of chess'".

On November 2020, 11, at the symposium on comprehensively promoting the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the general secretary stressed the need to "promote interaction and cooperation in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the region, and enhance the relevance and coupling of various initiatives".

Based on the overall view of the system and the collaborative system, it provides scientific thinking methods for forward-looking thinking, overall planning, and overall promotion of China's ecological civilization construction.

"It is necessary to seek new ways of governance from the perspective of system engineering and the overall situation, and we can no longer treat the headache and the foot pain, each managing the same thing and hindering each other." On May 2018, 5, the general secretary pointed out at the National Eco-environmental Protection Conference.

Highlight governance priorities

Located at the top of the "several bends" of the Yellow River, Wuliang Suhai is a meeting area of multiple ecological functions in northern China, and a natural ecological barrier to control the source of wind and sand in Beijing and Tianjin. On the afternoon of the 5th, General Secretary Xi Jinping came here for an inspection, and he stressed that the management of the Wuliangsuhai basin is of great significance to ensuring the ecological security of northern China.

The general secretary attached great importance to the governance of the Wuliangsuhai basin. During the National Two Sessions in 2021, the general secretary pointed out when participating in the review of the Inner Mongolia delegation that "I have given many instructions to Wuliang Suhai". At the scene of this inspection, the general secretary also demanded that "careful management, careful care, consistent and long-term meritorious work, and protect this 'pearl outside the country'".

Highlighting key points, driving the overall situation, and grasping the relationship between primary contradictions and secondary contradictions are also the proper meaning of the system concept.

For example, to fight the tough battle against pollution, the general secretary stressed that "it is necessary to fight several landmark major battles and concentrate on overcoming the prominent ecological and environmental problems around the people."

Speaking of desertification prevention and control, the general secretary stressed at this symposium that "we must highlight the key points of governance and make every effort to fight the three landmark battles."

We will make every effort to fight the battle of "several bends" of the Yellow River, the two major sandy annihilation battles of Horqin and Hunshan Dake, and the blockade battle of the Hexi Corridor-Taklamakan Desert Edge. For each landmark battle, the general secretary clearly indicated the direction and marked the key points.

Adhering to the system concept, grasping the relationship between the overall and the partial, the current and the long-term, the macro and the micro, the main contradiction and the secondary contradiction, and the special and the general, has led the construction of China's ecological civilization to produce an extensive and profound systemic change.

Curated by: Du Shangze

Written by: Pan Junqiang

Editors: Lin Xinyu Jia Xue

Proofreader: Juli

Image: Xinhua News Agency (Photo: Ju Peng, Visual: Lai Xiangdong)