China Reform Issue No 1, 2014

Widespread haze in most regions of China has caused public attention, reminding everyone of the urgency of solving environmental degradation problems. Water, air and soil pollution has become the main cause of the public’s dissatisfaction day by day. Currently, China is going through a key period of rapid industrialization and people’s living conditions are improving which inexorably causes an increase in energy and resource consumption. The pressure for environmental protection, ecology and sustainable development is increasing. Under the circumstances, that development is still China’s key strategy, and the governing party and the government has to face a tough choice between development and environmental pollution control, environmental quality improvement and ecology construction.