At this time of year, China gradually sets off a wave of afforestation and greening from south to north. Today, we participate in tree planting together, calling on everyone to take action, not only planting green patches on the vast land of our motherland, but also sowing green seeds in the hearts of the people, welcoming the spring of hope together, and building a beautiful China together.

(On April 4th, party and state leaders 習(xí)近平, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Han Zheng, and others braved the rain to participate in the capital’s voluntary tree planting activity at Dongba Central Park in Chaoyang District, Beijing. This is 習(xí)近平 planting trees with everyone. Photo by Ju Peng, a reporter from Xinhua News Agency)

The land in the suburbs of Beijing is filled with spring rain and a vibrant spring atmosphere. At around 10:30 am, party and state leaders 習(xí)近平, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Han Zheng, and others collectively took a ride and braved the rain to a tree planting site located in Dongba Central Park, Chaoyang District, Beijing. They participated in voluntary tree planting with the people of the capital.

The tree planting site is located in the Dongba Central Park at the intersection of Beixiao River and Ba River, with an area of approximately 300 acres. The plot was originally located in Dongfeng Village, Dongba Township. After relocation and environmental improvement, it is currently planning to build an ecological space characterized by biodiversity. In the Dongba Central Park, the capital cadres, masses, and Young Pioneers who participated in voluntary tree planting are working vigorously.

習(xí)近平 put on his raincoat, picked up the shovel and walked to the tree planting site, and joined the ranks of tree planting people with the leaders of Beijing Municipality and the State Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Excavating soil to create pits, building earth cofferdams, and lifting water for irrigation… 習(xí)近平 planted saplings such as Pinus tabulaeformis, Xifu Begonia, Chinese Sophora japonica, persimmon, and Hongrui wood, creating a bustling scene and a lively atmosphere. 習(xí)近平 teaches children how to plant trees while working, and talks to them about their learning and life situation. They ask their parents how old they are, whether they have arranged biology classes in primary school, and how much they know about plants. Currently, there are not many homework assignments and extracurricular tutoring. They are advised to love labor from a young age and achieve comprehensive development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor. 習(xí)近平 emphasizes that children’s education, like planting trees, should be upright from the beginning, otherwise it will grow crooked.

After planting trees, the primary and secondary school students, cadres, and masses present gathered around. 習(xí)近平 told everyone that China has the largest scale of artificial afforestation in the world and is still continuing afforestation. Greening the Earth and improving global climate change have contributed immensely to China and the Chinese people. Forests are not only reservoirs, money banks, grain depots, but also carbon depots. Planting trees and afforestation is a very meaningful thing, a noble cause that has benefited the present and the future, and should be consistently and continuously pursued.

習(xí)近平 recalled the process of participating in afforestation. He said to the primary and secondary school students present, ‘Once you become parents, you must also let your children and descendants continue to plant trees, generation by generation, and this is how beautiful China was built.’.

習(xí)近平 told everyone that I grew up in Beijing and many of my homesickness is related to trees. In the past, there were definitely locust trees, persimmon trees, or crabapple, pomegranate, and jujube trees planted in the courtyard of old Beijing. In the past, Beijing planted more poplar and willow trees because they were suitable for planting. At the same time, attention should be paid to combining the proportion of coniferous and broad-leaved forests to better meet the requirements of the biological and ecological chains. On the basis of greening, we need to strengthen colorization, diversify some colorful tree species, and strive to build a forest city throughout the region, making Beijing more beautiful.

習(xí)近平 emphasizes that green development is a major strategy for China’s development in the current and future periods. Carrying out national compulsory tree planting is a vivid practice of promoting national greening and building a beautiful China. Each region and department should organize and carry out compulsory tree planting based on actual conditions. We need to innovate organizational methods, enrich forms of due diligence, provide more convenience for the public to participate in voluntary tree planting, and achieve “full year, diverse, and convenient due diligence”. Let’s take active action, starting from planting trees, to plant the green mountains, golden mountains, and silver mountains that belong to everyone, and to paint an updated picture of beautiful China.

Members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, State Councilor, and others participated in tree planting activities in Beijing.