Authorities in Guilin City, one of China's top tourist destinations, tightened 
crackdown on illegal quarrying and sand mining along the Lijiang River in 
recent years in an effort to protect its ecological environment. 

Hailed as one of the most beautiful rivers on Earth, the Lijiang River 
stretches more than 400 kilometers through scenic karst mountains, attracting 
hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. 

"The worst behavior is quarrying," Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday 
when inspecting a section of the river. "Once a mountain is destroyed, a 
mountain of this sort is gone forever." 

Describing the river as the "one-and-only treasure" of China and the world, Xi 
said its ecological environment should never be damaged. 

Those who continue to conduct quarrying and sand mining along the river should 
not only be held accountable, but also be investigated on their criminal 
responsibility in accordance with law, he warned.

Thanks to a series of measures to reduce pollution and protect the river and 
the mountains alongside, the environment has improved significantly, bringing 
more tourists and revenue. 

In 2019, Guilin received 138 million tourists, making 187.4 billion yuan ($28.9 
billion), up 26.7 percent and 34.7 percent respectively, compared with the 
levels in 2018.

China's green transformation

Guilin is not the only place in China to fight against behaviors that damage 
the environment. Last year, public security organs across the country cracked 
23,000 cases of damaging the ecological environment and resources that involved 
16.6 billion yuan ($2.6 billion), and arrested more than 40,000 suspects, the 
Ministry of Public Security said at a press conference earlier this month.

These efforts are part of China's campaign to promote the comprehensive green 
transformation of the social and economic development – the vision was recently 
highlighted in the country's development blueprint for the next five years and 
beyond.

The campaign is in line with a well-known phrase of President Xi on green 
development: "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."  

Guided by the thought, the world's second largest economy has stepped up 
efforts to promote low-carbon development, pledging to peak its carbon dioxide 
emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. 

When addressing the Leaders Summit on Climate last week, Xi reaffirmed the 
pledge and called on the whole world to build a community of life together.

Other highlights of Xi's Guangxi tour

Guilin was the first stop of the president's inspection tour in south China's 
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He also paid tribute to revolutionary heroes 
who died in a battle there and learned about progress in rural vitalization on 
Sunday. 

President Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) 
Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited a 
memorial park dedicated to the Battle of the Xiangjiang River during the Long 
March in the 1930s and laid a flower basket in homage to Red Army soldiers who 
died in the battle.

The secret to the success of the Chinese revolution lies in ideals and 
convictions, he said, urging people today to strive for national rejuvenation 
with the same spirit and determination. 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the CPC's founding. 

He then went to the village of Maozhushan, where the emerging grape industry is 
powering its development and prosperity. 

After eradicating absolute poverty in rural areas nationwide, China has shifted 
focus to its next strategy – rural vitalization. Villages in different regions 
are encouraged to develop various industries suited to their conditions to 
nurture a better life for local residents.

Source: CGTN