BEIJING -- "At no time should we take hasty and reckless actions, drain the pond to catch the fish, or focus only on GDP growth," President Xi Jinping said, speaking of the importance of ecological conservation on Sunday.

He was joining fellow deputies from the Jiangsu province delegation at the ongoing first session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's national legislature, in a deliberation at the Great Hall of the People.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, asked about the water quality at Taihu Lake in the province, China's third largest freshwater lake.

He asked if blue-green algae persisted in the lake, which once caused the water quality to deteriorate severely.

In his subsequent speech to the NPC deputies, Xi referred to the matter again.

The beauty of the lake is described in the song "Taihu Mei (The Beauty of Taihu Lake)," Xi said. The lyrics describe the lake's natural resources and the local life.

However, the thought of blue-green algae makes one feel uncomfortable, he said.

The discharge of industrial and domestic waste caused serious pollution in Taihu, and it took great efforts to rectify the situation, Xi noted.

"We say that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, but if we fail to protect the ecology, we will end up with losses rather than benefits," Xi told his fellow deputies.

Xi talked about a detour in Jiangsu's development.

In the past, there was an imbalance in development between northern and southern Jiangsu. The province's northern region, driven by an "impulsive" desire for development, took on polluting and declining industries phased out by other regions.

A deadly 2019 chemical plant blast in Xiangshui county in northern Jiangsu was the result of hasty actions taken previously, he said.

Xi underscored the importance of applying the new development philosophy, which emphasizes innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all.

"Here also lies the right view of performance evaluation -- We should contribute our share to our cause without claiming credit for its success," he said.