The discourses of green modernization and eco-civilizational progress in contemporary China: convergence, tension and mutual learning

"Chinese modernization", articulated systematically by the working report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2022, has gradually become a widely known concept emphasizing harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature as one of its five unique features. A significant change arising from it is the historic convergence of two green theoretical discourses in contemporary China: "eco-civilizational progress" and "green modernization". In the Chinese context, these can be largely understood as characteristic forms of a broader green discourse, sharing common goals and contexts. As self-contained discursive theories, however, they also exhibit noticeable differences and a certain degree of tension. An ideal situation is that both are placed under a broader framework of green discourse theory, enabling mutual learning and promotion, thereby better serving China’s practice of building a modern socialist country in all respects.

Xincong Huan, Qingzhi Huan