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As one can imagine, this crisis requires tremendous effort due to its scale and criticality.  The lack of environmental attention in history has generated numerous negative effects.  China has experienced severe habitat and species loss (Hsu 12).   Moreover, the high pollution rates have had a direct correlation with the cancer rates. In 2015 alone, more than four million people in China were diagnosed with the disease, causing nearly three million deaths (Carney).   In several of the industrial, coal-producing provinces, such as Shanxi, lung cancer rates have increased a staggering four-fold, but authorities are reluctant to recognize the outbreak (Carney).  Consequently, hospitals are overwhelmed with patients; some people die while waiting months for treatment.  Equally, the corruption in the waste disposal industry has caused China’s beautiful rivers to transform into rubbish piles, affecting citizens like Wu Guang whose ancestor’s livelihood depended on the river. 

Fortunately, Xi Jinping has addressed this crisis through his written ambitious policies.  In his abundant list of plans for attacking the environmental crisis at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017, Xi Jinping claimed the government will “establish a legal and policy framework that promotes green production and consumption,” as well as “create a market-based system for green technology innovation, develop green finance, and spur the development of energy-saving and environmental protection industries” (Xi 45).  The government’s 13th five year plan also states optimistic objectives for the reduction in air pollution and coal emissions (Hsu). Specifically, they will gradually replace coal with natural gas. Also, a recent Bloomberg article suggests utilizing “cheap solar power,” another efficient energy alternative (Smith).  As illustrated in the video below at 1:10, a major textile company in Guangdong, earning approximately one billion dollars annually, prides themselves on their sustainable practices, demonstrating that successful industrial production and environmental sustainability are not exclusive.  They recycle water and lower their energy use.  Additionally, on site, they have a power plant, which generates electricity and produces steam for heating.  This exemplary company provides for China’s environmental awareness.  

Despite the government’s considerable efforts, it is important to acknowledge that the government lacks environmental transparency and many of Xi’s plans have been poorly executed.  For illustration, the police quickly extinguish environmental-related protests, and the government blocks films that show the extent of the negative impacts of environmental damage (Standaert).  Their methods of response are similar to those during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests: ignoring the people’s cries.  Xi has mastered retrieving information and controlling the narrative to protect his image. The government immediately blocked a documentary from the internet called Plastic China, which examined the dirty business of recycling imported plastic, even showing a baby being born on a mound of trash. This incident was not the first time they have censored environmental-related media to avoid government criticism.  The government should have let the film elicit the ban of imports on foreign waste.  Experts have recognized issues of inaccessible data, inconsistencies between sources, and data gaps (Hsu 2).  Many of the government’s statistics are considered “state secrets” (Hsu 2).  Soil quality data serves as a prime example of the government’s sensitivity due to its linkage to food safety.  Despite the surveys conducted, they are often only available in their original print, and the little data online is often difficult to access (Hsu 2).  Overall, the government’s opaqueness regarding the crisis trump my optimism for Xi’s policies.  Although his CCP Congress speech was filled with utopian goals, observers must take them with a grain of salt.  For example, he says the government will “encourage simple, moderate, green, and low-carbon ways of life, and oppose extravagance and excessive consumption,” yet we see China’s population consuming more than ever before.  Though the government increased the number of nature reservations, the enforcement of those areas does not agree with their published standards.  Many environmental landmarks lack funding and proper management.  Unsurprisingly, reserve managers often prioritize revenue generation rather than protecting the environment (Hsu 13).  Ultimately, “solving” the environmental crisis will demand for strict policies.  For example, to avoid extinction and protect biodiversity, the government must abolish deforestation.  Overall, Xi Jinping must never compromise environmental concerns over raising the GDP.  Otherwise, these statistics will continue to plague the country, eventually making China an extremely unpleasant place to reside. 

Some Chinese analysts argue that the food and water scarcity presents China with the most exigent challenge.  However, these scarcities are merely a consequence of the lack of environmental awareness.  If Chinese consumers and producers were environmentally conscious, then there would be adequate food. For instance, the increase in red meat consumption alone requires an abundance in grain and water to feed the livestock, which could instead be used to feed citizens.