BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday said that protecting the environment is protecting productivity.

Xi made the remarks while addressing the Leaders Summit on Climate via video link from Beijing.

Noting that green mountains are gold mountains, Xi said that to protect the environment is to protect productivity, and to improve the environment is to boost productivity.

"We must abandon development models that harm or undermine the environment, and must say no to shortsighted approaches of going after near-term development gains at the expense of the environment," Xi said.

Xi also called for joint efforts to make sure that a sound environment is there to buttress sustainable economic and social development worldwide.