"Green mountains are gold mountains"
The comparison of green mountains with gold mountains was first made by Xi Jinping in 2005 when he was secretary of Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, he has on multiple occasions reiterated this idea. While visiting Kazakhstan in 2013, he said, "We want to have not only mountains of gold, but also mountains of green. If we must choose between the two, we would rather have the green than the gold. And in any case, green maintains are themselves gold mountains."
This metaphor reflects a people-centered approach to people's wellbeing, an approach that emphasizes the importance of harmony between man and nature, and embodies the unwavering resolve of the Party and the government to preserve and protect the natural environment. It also represents a fundamental shift in our development strategies, requiring respect and protection for nature in our development efforts. Resource conservation and environmental protection have thus been incorporated into our basic national policy, along with economic, political, cultural and social development. The goal is to place China on a path to green development, so as to build a beautiful China.The 19th National Congress of the CPC called on the whole Party to regard clear waters and green mountains as invaluable assets and act on this understanding.
“绿水青山就是金山银山”
2005年，时任浙江省委书记的习近平首次提出“绿水青山就是金山银山”的论断。十八大以来，他更是反复强调这一理念。比如，2013年在访问哈萨克斯坦时他提到：“我们既要绿水青山，也要金山银山。宁要绿水青山，不要金山银山，而且绿水青山就是金山银山。”“绿水青山就是金山银山”体现了以人为本的民生思想，遵循了人与自然和谐共生的规律，生动形象表达了党和政府大力推进生态文明建设的鲜明态度和坚定决心。这一理念是发展理念和方式的深刻转变，要求在生产生活中按照尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然的理念，贯彻节约资源和保护环境的基本国策，把生态文明建设融入经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设各方面和全过程，引领中国朝着绿色经济转型，建设美丽中国。党的十九大报告强调，必须树立和践行“绿水青山就是金山银山”的理念。