Ecological and environmental concerns were given outstanding weight throughout the Party leadership's report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on Thursday.

For the first time in such a report, the importance of a resource efficient and environmentally friendly society was placed side by side with advanced production and development.

Most notably, the concept of an "ecological civilization" was presented, signaling the CPC's awareness of the importance of achieving harmonious coexistence between the environment and the economy, and society and nature.