Zhang Hongyan/For China Daily

For those hearing it for the first time, the phrase "Beautiful China" may sound like the title of a TV program.

In fact it was - in China at least. The phrase gained common currency as the Chinese title of a hugely popularly documentary series that explored the natural wonders of the country's less-visited areas, from the tropical forests in the south to the frozen borderlands of the north.

Co-produced by China Central Television and the BBC, the series was shown on CCTV in 2008, searing the phrase "Beautiful China" into the minds of many millions of viewers.

However, during the past year, "Beautiful China" has undergone a huge reinvention. Perhaps chosen because it already has resonance with the population, its espousal by the central leadership has seen the term become the catchphrase for an overarching policy which puts the protection of the land, air, lakes, rivers and seas right at the heart of the country's long-term development.

Building a "Beautiful China" has become a prime focus and hot topic among decision-makers at the ongoing annual "two sessions" of the provincial and city level people's congresses and the political consultative conferences.