Chen Wenjun: 

The last question.

Red Star News:

Good morning, Mr. Huang. Over the past decade, we see that ecological and environmental protection has gained much more attention. The past decade has witnessed stricter measures and more interdepartmental collaboration for environmental protection. Could you brief us on the development of the legal and institutional framework regarding ecological and environmental protection? What landmark achievements have been made? Thank you.

Huang Runqiu:

Thank you for the questions. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized on many occasions that developing institutions is essential for ecological conservation. The ecological environment should be protected with strict institutions and the rule of law. This is the essence of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Under the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, we have seen more vital legislation, more newly-introduced institutions and stricter regulation and law enforcement regarding ecological and environmental protection than ever before.

The past decade has seen stronger legislation on ecological and environmental protection than ever before. Both the quantity and quality of new laws have been improved. As a fundamental and overarching law in ecological and environmental protection, the Environmental Protection Law was comprehensively revised and came into force in 2015. The newly amended law stipulates punitive measures such as levying fines accumulating by the day, closing down or distraining pollution-causing facilities and equipment , and detention, thus being called the strictest environmental protection law in history. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress formulated and amended 25 laws related to ecological and environmental protection, covering air, water, soil, solid waste and noise pollution prevention and control. In addition, it looked at laws related to essential ecosystems and elements such as the Yangtze River, wetlands, and chernozem soil. More than 30 laws on ecological environment protection have come into force, forming a comprehensive, practical, effective, and stringent socialist legal system on ecological environment protection with Chinese characteristics. In addition, ecological civilization was written into the country's Constitution. Moreover, the civil code included the green principle as a general principle of civil activities. Finally, the Criminal Law and its amendments clearly defined the crimes of polluting the environment and destroying resources. These are all highlights of legislation on environmental protection in the past decade.

Second, the past decade has witnessed more newly-introduced institutions on ecological and environmental protection than ever before. In 2015, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council promulgated two top-level design documents-the guidelines on accelerating ecological advancement and the integrated reform plan for promoting ecological progress. Since then, a series of innovative systems have been introduced, such as the central supervision system for environmental protection, the reform of the vertical management system for monitoring, supervision, and law enforcement of eco-environmental institutions that are at and below the provincial level, and the emissions permit system . Law enforcement officers for ecological protection have been included in the system of coordinated law enforcement by government departments and wear the same uniforms as other personnel in the system. An institutional framework has taken shape, providing an institutional base for advancing ecological conservation and environmental protection.

In particular, the central supervision system for ecological and environmental protection has played a crucial role. A press conference held by the State Council Information Office this July introduced the progress in implementing the system. Here, I would like to add some points.

General Secretary Xi Jinping personally planned, deployed, and promoted the central supervision system for ecological and environmental protection, a major institutional innovation and reform measure of the Party and the country. The system has facilitated the implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, ensured that both CPC committees and governments are held accountable and that officials take responsibility for ecological and environmental protection in performing their duties , helped resolve a large number of environmental problems, promoted high-quality economic development, and become a litmus test of the officials' sense of responsibility. During the two rounds of supervision, we released 262representative cases, and handled287,000 tip-offs and complaint letters, of which 286,000 have been settled. Moreover, 18,000 officials were held accountable during the first round. It is fair to say that the supervision has achieved sound political, economic, environmental and social effects.

Third, the past decade has witnessed the strictest regulation and law enforcement as well as the most effective implementation of the legal system. Statistics speak volumes. In 2021, the number of administrative penalty cases concerning environmental protection was 1.6 times that before the implementation of the new environmental protection law. From 2013 to 2021, the people's courts tried an average of more than 2,000 cases involving pollution crimes per year, while the number was several dozens and sometimes less than 20 per year before 2013. Since the newly revised environmental protection law came into force in 2015, there have been over 170,000 cases involving fines accumulating by the day, closing down or distraining pollution-causing facilities and equipment, production restrictions and halts, detention, and pollution crimes.

While enforcing the law, we have made full use of information technology such as modern remote sensing and big data, as well as advanced equipment such as mobile laboratories, drones, and uncrewed ships. We have established an integrated "air-space-land" monitoring mechanism to identify problems and clues accurately, thus significantly enhancing the ability to detect polluters. I have a photo here to show you. You can see that some companies discharge sewage into the river using pipes hidden under the ground. Generally, it is difficult to find, but our infrared imagers can easily detect the act. These enterprises have been severely punished. At the same time, we have optimized law enforcement methods, improved law enforcement efficiency, and implemented a positive list system for supervision and law enforcement to see that the law-abiding are let be and lawbreakers are punished in accordance with the law.

Going forward, we will continue to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, improve the legal and institutional system for ecological and environmental protection, promote precise, scientific and law-based pollution control, and at the same time offer more guidance and assistance to enterprises to boost high-quality development. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Huang. Thank you to friends from the media. Today's press conference is now concluded. See you!

Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Zhang Liying, Wang Yanfang, Liu Sitong, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, Liu Jianing, Cui Can, Ma Yujia, Wang Yiming, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.