Comprehensive Green Transformation in the Context of Chinese-Path Modernization

Promoting a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development is not only an important marker of the Party’s new concepts and new practices in governing the country in the New Era, but also a key link in achieving high-quality development, and moreover the fundamental strategy for solving China’s resource, environmental, and ecological problems. Currently, academia has already discussed topics such as the major significance, key pathways, and safeguard mechanisms of this transformation. We also need to compare it with international discourses on green transformation, carefully study the ideas and viewpoints contained in the first volume of *Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization* (hereinafter referred to as the *Selected Works*), and understand the deep connotations of this major deployment within the unique context of Chinese-path modernization, so as to grasp the direction and thinking of the transformation.

推动经济社会发展全面绿色转型，既是新时代党治国理政新理念新实践的重要标志，也是实现高质量发展的关键环节，更是解决我国资源环境生态问题的基础之策。当前，学术界已经围绕该转型的重大意义、关键路径、保障机制等议题进行了探讨，我们还需与国际社会绿色转型话语进行比较，认真研读《习近平生态文明文选》第一卷（以下简称《文选》）中所蕴含的思想观点，在中国式现代化这一独特语境下理解这一重大部署的深层内涵，以便把握转型的方向和思路。

At present, there are three main discourses on green transformation in the international community. The first is the discourse of green capitalist transformation, the second is the discourse of ecocentric transformation, and the third is the discourse of eco-socialist transformation. These three discourses interweave and contend with one another, constituting the complex context of global green transformation. However, the practice of China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development cannot be explained or guided by the above discourses. It can neither follow the Western-centric “de-ideologized” logic of ecological imperialism, nor can it follow the extreme environmentalism of “de-modernization” and “de-capitalization” that is divorced from reality. The *Selected Works* point out that “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature.” This not only means that advancing Chinese-path modernization requires accelerating China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, but also that Chinese-path modernization itself constitutes the regulatory background for the comprehensive green transformation. We should consciously interpret this transformation within the unique process of Chinese-path modernization and the political, economic, and cultural context it generates, deeply recognizing that this is a transformation path of Chinese-path modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature, which not only possesses Chinese characteristics but also makes outstanding contributions to the world.

当前，国际社会存在三种主要绿色转型话语。一是绿色资本主义转型话语，二是生态中心主义转型话语，三是生态社会主义转型话语。这三种话语相互交织、相互博弈，构成了全球绿色转型的复杂语境。然而，我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型的实践不能以上述话语进行解释和指引，既不能遵循西方中心主义“去意识形态化”的生态帝国主义逻辑，也不能遵循脱离实际的“去现代化”和“去资本化”的极端环保主义。《文选》指出，“中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化”。这不仅意味着推进中国式现代化要加快我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，而且中国式现代化本身也构成了全面绿色转型的规制背景。我们应自觉将这一转型置于中国式现代化的独特进程及其所生发的政治经济文化语境中加以阐释，深刻认识这是一条既具有中国特色又对世界作出突出贡献的人与自然和谐共生的中国式现代化转型道路。

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “‘Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China.’ This is a statement that defines the nature of Chinese-path modernization; it is the overarching and fundamental statement.” This sentence reveals the fundamental attribute of Chinese-path modernization in a general and most essential sense. To accurately grasp the deep connotations of China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development within this context, we must base ourselves on this fundamental attribute and understand its normatively defined transformation characteristics. This can be explained by starting from the three key words contained within it: “the Communist Party of China,” “socialism,” and “modernization.”

习近平总书记指出：“‘中国式现代化，是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化’。这是对中国式现代化定性的话，是管总、管根本的。”这句话从总体上、最本质意义上揭示了中国式现代化的根本属性。要在这一语境下准确把握我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型的深层内涵，就必须立足这一根本属性，理解其规范意义上的转型特征。可以从其中所内含的“中国共产党”“社会主义”“现代化”三个关键词来加以阐释。

China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development is a transformation jointly advanced by top-level design under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the orderly participation of the people. International narratives of transformation often resort to a “bottom-up” dynamic mechanism, pinning hopes for the green transformation of economic and social development on the spontaneous actions of grassroots communities. However, this approach often struggles to achieve real breakthroughs due to a lack of systemic change and institutional safeguards. In contrast, the dynamic mechanism of China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development encompasses both the core leadership role of the Communist Party of China and the main constructive force of the broadest masses of the people. On the one hand, the Party has accelerated the top-level design and institutional system construction for ecological civilization, proposed goals and tasks such as “accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development” and made corresponding deployments. Various regions and departments have clarified the key tasks of the comprehensive green transformation and implemented the major deployments of the Party Central Committee in light of their respective actual conditions. The Communist Party of China has played the role of “exercising overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides,” implementing Party leadership throughout the entire process and in all aspects of the comprehensive green transformation. On the other hand, a good ecological environment is the most equitable public product and the most inclusive public welfare for the people’s livelihood. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes, “We must transform the building of a Beautiful China into the conscious action of all the people.” Therefore, the realization of the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development also requires the joint participation and joint construction of the people, so that they can jointly enjoy the benefits. The *Selected Works* point out, “Only when everyone takes action and fulfills their responsibilities, stimulating the endogenous motivation of the whole society to jointly protect the ecological environment, can the blue sky be permanent, the green mountains remain, and the clear waters flow forever on the land of China.” In this way, China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development organically integrates the political leadership of the Communist Party of China with the social vitality of broad public participation, fully leveraging the institutional advantage of concentrating resources to accomplish major tasks, while effectively stimulating endogenous social motivation and grassroots innovation vitality.

我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，是中国共产党领导下的顶层设计与人民群众有序参与共同推进的转型。国际层面的转型叙事往往诉诸“自下而上”的动力机制，将经济社会发展绿色转型寄希望于基层社区的自发行动。但是，这种路径常因缺乏系统性变革与制度保障而难以实现真正突破。而我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型的动力机制，包含着中国共产党的领导核心作用和最广大人民群众的主体建设力量。一方面，党加快推进生态文明顶层设计和制度体系建设，提出了“加快经济社会发展全面绿色转型”等目标任务并作出相应部署，各地区各部门明确全面绿色转型的重点任务，结合各自实际抓好党中央重大部署的贯彻落实。中国共产党发挥了“总揽全局、协调各方”的作用，把党的领导贯彻到全面绿色转型的全过程和各方面。另一方面，良好生态环境是最公平的公共产品，是最普惠的民生福祉。习近平总书记强调，“要把建设美丽中国转化为全体人民自觉行动”。因此，经济社会发展全面绿色转型的实现也需要人民群众的共同参与和共同建设，才能共同享有。《文选》指出，“只有人人动手、人人尽责，激发起全社会共同呵护生态环境的内生动力，才能让中华大地蓝天永驻、青山常在、绿水长流”。这样一来，我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型就将中国共产党的政治领导力和人民群众广泛参与的社会活力有机融合起来，既充分发挥了集中力量办大事的制度优势，又有效激发了社会内生动力和基层创新活力。

China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development is a transformation that, within the framework of the socialist system, reforms those institutional mechanisms that are incompatible with the requirements of green development. The narrative of green capitalist transformation evades the contradiction between the expansiveness of capitalism and the finiteness of resources and the environment, even attempting to package capitalism, which pursues infinite economic growth, as a solution to the ecological crisis. The *Selected Works* contain reflections on the capitalist development model, arguing that Western modernization “while creating enormous material wealth, often leads to serious problems such as environmental pollution and resource depletion.” China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development resolutely abandons the Western modernization path centered on capital, characterized by materialistic expansion, and following the model of “pollute first, treat later,” and explicitly refuses to become a “garbage dump” or “sewage pool” for Western countries to transfer pollution and waste. It is committed to deepening the reform of the ecological civilization system within the framework of the socialist system. Therefore, China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development is not a transformation onto the evil path of capitalism, but rather a promotion of the self-improvement and self-development of the socialist system in the green dimension. This means that this profound change, regardless of its breadth or depth, must proceed in the same direction and be mutually integrated with the basic systems of socialist economy, politics, society, and culture with Chinese characteristics. For example, in the field of economic construction, unlike the green capitalist transformation that requires the complete privatization of natural resources, China’s design of the unified registration system for natural resource rights must adhere to the main principle of “public ownership of resources,” that is, upholding the socialist public ownership of natural resources. On the basis of adhering to this principle, the reform requirements of “improving the property rights system and management system for natural resource assets, and perfecting the principal-agent mechanism for the ownership rights of natural resource assets owned by the whole people” are clarified, thereby solving the institutional and mechanistic problems of unclear rights and responsibilities between the central and local governments in the property rights management of natural resource assets owned by the whole people.

我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，是在社会主义制度框架内对那些不适应绿色发展要求的体制机制进行改革的转型。绿色资本主义的转型叙事回避资本主义扩张性与资源环境有限性之间的矛盾，甚至试图将追求经济无限增长的资本主义包装为生态危机的解决方案。《文选》中不乏对资本主义发展模式的反思，认为西方现代化“在创造巨大物质财富的同时，往往造成环境污染、资源枯竭等严重问题”。我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，则坚决摒弃西方以资本为中心、物质主义膨胀、先污染后治理的现代化老路，并明确拒绝成为西方国家转移污染和废弃物的“垃圾场”或“污水池”，是在社会主义制度的框架内致力于深化生态文明体制改革。因此，我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，不是转型至资本主义的邪路，而是促进社会主义制度在绿色维度上的自我完善和发展。这就意味着，这项深刻变革无论其广度还是深度都需与中国特色社会主义经济、政治、社会、文化等方面的基本制度同向同行、相互融通。比如，在经济建设领域，与绿色资本主义所要求的自然资源全盘私有化转型不同，我国在自然资源统一确权登记制度的设计上必须坚持“资源公有”的主要原则，即坚持自然资源社会主义公有制。在坚持这一原则基础上，明确“健全自然资源资产产权制度和管理制度体系，完善全民所有自然资源资产所有权委托代理机制”的改革要求，从而解决全民所有自然资源资产产权管理中中央和地方权责不清的体制机制问题。

China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development is a transformation in which high-quality development and high-level protection complement and reinforce each other. The narratives of ecocentric and eco-socialist transformations have both failed to solve the “world-class problem” of the “relationship between development and protection,” falling into the rut of “de-modernization” and “de-capitalization” that unilaterally pursues environmental protection. Chinese-path modernization shares common features with modernization in other countries, namely achieving rapid economic development and creating a vast amount of material and cultural-ethical wealth in the process of modernization. China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development must also create more material and cultural-ethical wealth to meet the people’s growing needs for a better life. We are not pursuing a transformation that abandons economic development and technological innovation; rather, we adhere to the concept, repeatedly emphasized in the *Selected Works*, that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” “promoting qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in development through green transformation,” and “synergistically advancing carbon reduction, pollution reduction, greening, and growth” during the transformation, correctly handling the “relationship between development and protection.” At the same time, unlike the “de-capitalization” narrative of transformation, China’s comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development squarely faces the various forms of capital that exist under the conditions of the socialist market economy, fully leveraging the positive role of capital as a factor of production. By improving the market-oriented mechanisms for green transformation, exploring paths for realizing the value of ecological products that are government-led, involve participation from enterprises and all sectors of society, operate on a market basis, and are sustainable, comprehensively establishing an ecological protection compensation mechanism, guiding capital towards green and low-carbon fields, and promoting the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure. It is precisely in the process of effectively harnessing capital that China achieves a comprehensive green transformation of its economic and social development, adheres to the requirements of a safe transformation, coordinates and properly handles the relationship between development and emission reduction, and realizes the unity of material wealth accumulation and ecological environmental protection.

我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，是高质量发展与高水平保护相辅相成、相得益彰的转型。生态中心主义和生态社会主义的转型叙事，均未能破解“发展与保护的关系”这一“世界性难题”，陷入了单方面追求环境保护的“去现代化”“去资本化”窠臼。中国式现代化具有世界各国现代化的共同特征，即在现代化进程中实现了经济的快速发展，创造了大量物质财富和精神财富。我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，同样要创造更多的物质财富和精神财富以满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要。我们不是要舍弃经济发展和科技创新的转型，而是要坚持《文选》中多次强调的“绿水青山就是金山银山”的理念，“在绿色转型中推动发展实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长”，在转型中“协同推进降碳、减污、扩绿、增长”，正确处理“发展和保护的关系”。同时，与“去资本化”的转型叙事不同，我国经济社会发展全面绿色转型，正视社会主义市场经济条件下所存在的各种形态资本，充分发挥资本作为生产要素的积极作用。通过健全绿色转型市场化机制，探索政府主导、企业和社会各界参与、市场化运作、可持续的生态产品价值实现路径，全面建立生态保护补偿机制，引导资本投向绿色低碳领域，推动产业结构优化升级。正是在有效驾驭资本的过程中，我国经济社会发展实现全面绿色转型，坚持了安全转型的要求，统筹处理好了发展和减排的关系，实现了物质财富积累与生态环境保护的统一。

(The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Fujian Normal University)

（作者系福建师范大学马克思主义学院教授）