From July 6 to 8, the 2rd Huzhou International Conference on the Theory of Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets was held in Anji, Huzhou. Sponsored by Huzhou Municipal People’s Government, the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government and Huzhou University, the event was jointly organized by Anji County People’s Government, Huzhou Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of “Two Mountains” Theory of Huzhou University, and assisted by the “Two Mountains” Think Tank Alliance, the “National Innovation Alliance of Forestry for Common Prosperity Yangtze River Delta （Preparation）” of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and Anji “Two Mountains” Think Tank. Themed with “Double Eight Strategy”， “Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation” project, “Two Mountains Theory” and “Chinese Path to Modernization”， this conference is a part of the theme activities of Zhejiang Province to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the “Double Eight Strategy”。

　　The opening ceremony was held on the morning of July 7. Attending the ceremony are: Shu Huiguo （Former Secretary of Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Director of the 10th Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress）， Yin Chengjie （Former Deputy Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Deputy Director of the 11th Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress）， Xia Jun （Director of the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources）， Zhang Zhanbin, （Director of the China Center for Modernization Research of the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC （National Academy of Governance）， Member of the 13th CPPCC National Committee）， Dai Aiping （Secondary Counsel of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government）， Levente Horváth （Director of Eurasia Center of the John von Neumann University, Hungary, Consul General of Hungary in Shanghai）， Xia jianding （Deputy Mayor of Huzhou Municipal People’s Government）， Jin Peihua （Party Secretary of Huzhou University and Dean of the Institute of “Two Mountains” Theory）， Xu Huixia （President of Huzhou University）， and Ning Yun （Deputy Secretary of Anji County Party Committee and County Mayor） .

　　The opening ceremony was presided over by Jin Peihua. On behalf of the Organizing Committee of this conference, Jin expressed the warmest welcome and heartfelt gratitude to all the attending leaders, experts and guests.

　　More than 180 representatives attended the meeting. They are from national organizations and international bodies including the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC （National Academy of Governance）， the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Shandong University, Beijing Forestry University, the International Council for Ecological Protection Promotion, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the “Two Mountains” Think Tank Alliance, and the “National Innovation Alliance of Forestry for Common Prosperity Yangtze River Delta （Preparation） ” of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

　　Xia Jianding addressed the conference and said Huzhou, as the birthplace of President Xi Jinping’s “Two Mountains” theory that states lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, is also the cradle of Beautiful Village Initiative and the pioneer of green development. Over the years, the “Two Mountains” theory has demonstrated strong leading force and lasting vitality as the result of numerous practices. Against this backdrop, Huzhou has embarked on a high-quality path that prioritizes ecological civilization and green and low carbon development under the guidance of the “Two Mountains” theory. Huzhou insists on green development by protecting natural environment, and sets an example of ecological governance. It also put the ecological development high on the agenda by actively responding to climate change, building a green and low-carbon development system, taking green and low-carbon comprehensive reform for common prosperity as methods, and stepping up efforts to build hubs that convert ecological values, innovate low-carbon technology, and expand achievements in promoting ecological progress. Xia sincerely hoped that all the experts and guests could offer advice and suggestions on ecological civilization to promote the green and low-carbon development of Huzhou.

　　In her speech, Xu Huixia said that Huzhou University is a comprehensive university with excellent teacher-training tradition and distinctive application characteristics. Over the years, the university has been striving to become “a normal university of quite influence, at quite a level and enjoys quite a status nationwide” as proposed by President Xi Jinping （then worked in Zhejiang Province） during his inspection tour at the university in 2006. The comprehensive strength and social influence are continually increasing through the efforts of generations. As a distinctive, strong, dedicated university with long history, Huzhou University is located at the birthplace of the “Two Mountains” theory. Therefore, it focuses on major theoretical and practical issues of the “Two Mountains” theory to carry out scientific research, and has got 19 national projects, published 37 representative monographs, and obtained 12 relevant platforms at or above the provincial level and 22 provincial awards, aiming at promoting theoretical innovation, expanding consultation services, strengthening talent cultivation and spreading experience. Xu hoped that experts and scholars would communicate new thoughts and ideas, and provide new wisdom to help better understand and practice President Xi’s “Two Mountains” theory.

　　Xie Zhenhua （China Special Envoy for Climate Change, Former Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, and Former Director of the State Environmental Protection Administration） sent a congratulatory letter to the forum. He said that the “Two Mountains” theory originates in Huzhou and spreads from Zhejiang to the whole country and even the whole world. It is profoundly transforming Zhejiang, influencing the whole China and related to the whole world. While leading the development of ecological civilization in China, this theory has contributed China’s solutions and wisdom to promoting the green development of the world and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. China has been actively responding to climate change, practicing the “Two Mountains” theory, implementing the strategic plan of the CPC Central Committee to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality by adopting the “1+N” policy system, and promoting green and low-carbon transformation and innovation in all sectors and industries. “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets” is in line with the “Double Eight Strategy” and “Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation” project, which is not only an inevitable requirement for achieving sustainable development, but also an important guide for promoting modernization. By following the guidance of President Xi, we must strike a balance between environmental protection and economic development, and advance high-quality and sustainable economic and social development by focusing on ecological civilization and carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

　　Dai Aiping expressed that for a long term, in line with the principle of the “foreign affairs of quality, of honesty and for the economy” proposed by President Xi （then worked in Zhejiang Province）， the Department of Foreign Affairs of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government has stayed committed to exploring quality international publicity resources, taking advantages of cultural exchange activities and the channels of twin cities, carrying out all kinds of publicity and promotion theme activities, in order to deepen international communication and exchanges, increase the recognition of international community to Zhejiang, and better demonstrate and promote Zhejiang. The Department of Foreign Affairs is willing to join hands with foreign embassies and consulates, think tanks and research institutions, make full use of Zhejiang Province’s advantages in ecological civilization and green development, actively participate in and practice the global development initiative, strive to set an example of research and cooperation between China and foreign countries in terms of green development, and make positive contributions to building a closer community of shared future for humankind.

　　In his speech, Xia Jun said that the 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed to comprehensively advance national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization, which means the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Respecting, adapting to, and protecting nature is essential for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. The Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources undertakes the responsibility and mission of publicizing the Party and the country’s policies and decisions on ecological civilization and natural resources. In recent years, it has organized a series of theme publicity activities to tell China’s stories well about eco-civilization and show the value of President Xi’s thought on ecological civilization. The Center is willing to work with all parties to tell the story of “Two Mountains” and expand the influence of ecological progress with concerted efforts.

　　Shu Huiguo said that ecological progress is fundamental to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, led by the President Xi’s thought on ecological civilization, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has regarded ecological civilization as an important part of ensuring a holistic approach to the Five-sphere Integrated Plan and coordinated implementation of the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy, and has made a series of fundamental and pioneering efforts to accelerate the top-level design and system development of eco-civilization, which has brought historic, transformational, and comprehensive changes to China’s ecological environment. Holding such an international conference at the birthplace of the “Two Mountains” theory fully reflects the political responsibility of the Huzhou Municipal People’s Government and Huzhou University. Shu put forward three suggestions for continuously holding the Conference on the “Two Mountains” theory: first, this forum should strive to become an important bridge to understand President Xi’s thought on ecological civilization; second, it should become an important platform for international exchanges and cooperation on ecological progress; the third is to become an important base for researching the “Two Mountains” theory.

　　Prof. Zhou Weisheng （Foreign Academician of the Engineering Academy of Japan and the First Director of the Ritsumeikan Research Center for Sustainability Science of Ritsumeikan University） was invited to give a keynote speech. He reviewed his experiences in Huzhou and Anji, and talked about the challenges faced by the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, the “Two Mountains” theory and the sustainable development goals. He believed that the “Two Mountains” theory has two basic elements: environmental protection and value conversion. Based on the regional characteristics of Anji’s bamboo forests, he introduced his research on how to use bamboo to replace plastics and develop and utilize bamboo-made feed.

　　After the opening ceremony, a press conference for Huzhou University’s research achievements on the “Two Mountains” theory was held. Researcher Jin Peihua （Party Secretary of Huzhou University and Dean of the Institute of “Two Mountains” Theory） released 3 series of academic new books, including: The Concept and Practice Course of “Clear Water and Green Mountains are Gold Mountains and Silver Mountains”； Ecological Civilization Education; Carbon peak, carbon neutral Knowledge Interpretation; Carbon Neutrality Policies and Actions in China; Journal of Two Mountains; Anji Development Report on the Concept of Clear waters and green Mountains are Golden Hills and Silver Mountains; Chronicle of Research on Rural Construction in Modern China （1912-1949） （two volumes）。 Jin said that these research achievements reflect the new visions of times, system, ecology and discourse of the “Two Mountains” theory research. He hoped that these achievements could better explain the Chinese Path to Modernization with the goal of beautiful China from the perspective of theory, and further promote the whole society to form and practice the “Two Mountains” theory, and provide guide for the building of a green home for all mankind with harmonious development between man and nature. At the press conference, Jia Yanping （Deputy Director and Associate Editor of the Editorial Department of China Financial & Economic Publishing House）， Yang Xue （Branch President and Associate Editor of Economy & Management Publishing House） delivered speeches, and Yang Zhiyong （Editor-in-Chief of China Social Sciences Press） sent a congratulatory letter to the launch of new books on the “Two Mountains” theory.

　　During the presentations of the conference, 14 famous experts and scholars made academic reports. At the sub-forums of the conference, more than 20 experts and scholars integrated the “Two Mountains” theory with the Chinese Path to Modernization, “Double Eight Strategy”， “Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation” project, green development and common prosperity, etc.

　　On the morning of July 8, the closing ceremony of the conference was held, presided over by Xie Zhanqiang （Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of Huzhou Municipal Party Committee and President of Huzhou Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences）。 Jin Peihua awarded plaques for the new member units of the “Two Mountains” Think Tank Alliance. Zhu Xiaofang （Member of the Party Committee of Huzhou University and Director of Publicity） presented certificates to the winners of the outstanding papers of this forum.

　　Wang Jingxin （Honorary President of the Institute of “Two Mountains” Theory of Huzhou University, Vice President of the China Development Forum） made a summary of academic achievements and contributions in this international conference from five aspects. He said that a total of 56 latest researches were released at the forum, including 6 speeches, 16 keynote speeches and conference reports, 27 sub-forum speeches and comments, and 7 selected outstanding and speech papers. These achievements promoted the research of “Two Mountains” theory, ecological civilization, Chinese path to modernization, and made new contributions to summarizing experience, formulating future action plans and exploring theoretical progress.

　　During the forum, the Third Session of the First Council Meeting of the “Two Mountains” Think Tank Alliance, the Senior Advisor and Academic Board Meeting of the Institute of “Two Mountains” Theory, and the Council Meeting of “National Innovation Alliance of Forestry for Common Prosperity Yangtze River Delta （Preparation）” were also held.

　　It is reported that the Huzhou International Conference, approved by Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, has been successfully held for two sessions, with the purpose of studying the “Two Mountains” theory, seeking green development, strengthening ecological civilization, and promoting common prosperity.