Approved by the Party Central Committee and the State Council, the fifth batch of the third round of central ecological and environmental protection inspection teams recently provided feedback on routine inspections to three provinces (cities)—Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei—as well as five central enterprises: China Huadian Corporation Limited, China Energy Investment Corporation Co., Ltd., Ansteel Group Co., Ltd., China Baowu Steel Group Co., Ltd., and China National Coal Group Co., Ltd. The team leaders read the inspection reports, while the Party committee secretaries of the provinces (cities) or the Party committee (leading Party groups) secretaries of the enterprises delivered statements of position. Deputy team leaders, relevant team members, and responsible officials from the inspected entities attended the meetings. Additionally, written feedback on the special inspection of the Grand Canal′s ecological and environmental protection was provided to eight provinces (cities): Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.

Overall, the inspected provinces, cities, and central enterprises placed high importance on ecological civilization and environmental protection, actively promoted the conservation of the Grand Canal cultural heritage, advanced green development and pollution prevention efforts, and achieved new results in their work. There are shortcomings in air pollution prevention and control, with some regions approving steel projects in violation of regulations, delayed progress in key governance efforts, and frequent illegal emissions. Ecological conservation and restoration also face deficiencies, as sensitive areas such as wetlands, rivers, and nature reserves suffer from encroachment and damage. Gaps in water pollution prevention and control are evident, with inadequate rural living environment improvements and prominent aquaculture pollution issues. Some central enterprises fail to uphold their political responsibility for ecological and environmental protection, exhibit low-quality green and low-carbon transitions, lag in phasing out outdated electromechanical equipment, and expand steel production capacity illegally, alongside weak environmental compliance awareness and falsified monitoring data. Along the Grand Canal, provinces and cities still lag in cultural heritage protection, inheritance, utilization, and ecological conservation, with insufficient efforts in cultural heritage preservation, significant gaps in ecological space protection and restoration, prominent shortcomings in water-related environmental infrastructure, and frequent illegal dumping of solid waste.

Next, we will fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly advance the philosophy of the 20th CPC National Congress and the plenary sessions of its 20th Central Committee, conscientiously execute the tasks outlined in the Fourth Plenary Session, and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization along with the important directives and instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on ecological and environmental protection. We will guide and oversee the inspected entities to formulate rectification plans within 45 working days in accordance with the "Regulations on Ecological and Environmental Protection Supervision" and the "Measures for Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Supervision Rectification Work," and report them to the Party Central Committee and the State Council through proper procedures. In subsequent efforts, we will continue to strengthen coordination and supervision, closely follow up on identified issues, and ensure the inspected entities make tangible and effective rectifications.