KUNMING - Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has stressed the importance of environmental protection to benefit humanity.

Xi made the remarks on Monday afternoon during a visit to an ecological wetland of Dianchi Lake in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province.

While expressing appreciation to the conservation work of the lake, he stressed abandoning the old way of gaining economic development at the cost of damaging the environment.

As people are enjoying better living standards at present, what they care about most is the environment, Xi said.

Xi called for continuous efforts to truly turn lucid waters and lush mountains into invaluable assets.