Sustainable development

[Amu]

How can I say sustainable development in Chinese?

Thank you

 

[SuperXW]

It's usually translated as 可持续发展；可持续性发展；持续发展；持久发展 (simplified characters) depending on the context.

 

[Youngfun]

But China is weird, because it's the only country in the world that says 科学发展 ("scientific" development). It's ambiguous, because without context it can mean "the development of the science", but the Chinese politicians mean "to develop in a scientific way".
Outside of the Chinese political context, 可持续发展 is OK.

 

[SuperXW]

But China is weird, because it's the only country in the world that says 科学发展 ("scientific" development). It's ambiguous, because without context it can mean "the development of the science", but the Chinese politicians mean "to develop in a scientific way".
Outside of the Chinese political context, 可持续发展 is OK.

I think I also often hear 可持续发展 in Chinese media. Isn't the term acceptable too?

 

[Youngfun]

Yes, except in Chinese CPC propaganda...

Actually, 科学发展 is a term invented by 胡锦涛, and is defined as: 科学发展观是坚持以人为本，全面、协调、可持续的发展观，促进经济社会协调发展和人的全面发展。
So it seems that sustainable development is only part of the concept...

 

[Amu]

Thanks SuperXW and Youngfun!

 

[SuperXW]

But China is weird, because it's the only country in the world that says 科学发展 ("scientific" development). It's ambiguous, because without context it can mean "the development of the science", but the Chinese politicians mean "to develop in a scientific way".
Outside of the Chinese political context, 可持续发展 is OK.

Youngfun, I don't believe this is true. See here:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2002-08/21/content_533048.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/zhengfu/2003-07/25/content_992773.htm

 

[stellari]

Youngfun, I don't believe this is true. See here:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2002-08/21/content_533048.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/zhengfu/2003-07/25/content_992773.htm

I too have the same impression. "可持续发展" has been used all the time in propaganda and textbooks for as long as I can remember. The vaguely (at least so to me) defined 科学发展观 (note that 观 is commonly used here) overlaps with 可持续发展 in some aspects, but they don't seem to be the same thing to me.

 

[OneStroke]

I would vote for 可持续发展 too, since I feel 科学发展 is too China-specific. I wouldn't use the term when I talk about other countries (or even Hong Kong).

My textbook's definition 科学发展:
針對現時經濟快速增長下的新國家發展觀……希望把國家發展核心建立在「以人為本」上，為經濟體制作出調整，令它朝著一個健康即可持續的方向發展，使社會和經濟發展取得長遠平衡。

The same textbook used the definition of sustainable development from Our Common Future.

 

[jiaziyuan]

可持续发展 is the most common translation.

 

[rachellr]

But China is weird, because it's the only country in the world that says 科学发展 ("scientific" development). It's ambiguous, because without context it can mean "the development of the science", but the Chinese politicians mean "to develop in a scientific way".
Outside of the Chinese political context, 可持续发展 is OK.

Viewing it as a set phrase, 可持续发展 is the standard translation, while 可持续性发展 is also acceptable outside the political propaganda.

科学发展 is a different thing.

I disagree with Youngfun. 科学发展 is not ambiguous. If when want to say "the development of the science", 科学的发展 is used.
In 科学发展, 科学 is an adverb, 发展 is a verb.
In 科学的发展，科学的 is an adjective, 发展 is a noun.

 

[OneStroke]

Viewing it as a set phrase, 可持续发展 is the standard translation, while 可持续性发展 is also acceptable outside the political propaganda.

科学发展 is a different thing.

I disagree with Youngfun. 科学发展 is not ambiguous. If when want to say "the development of the science", 科学的发展 is used.
In 科学发展, 科学 is an adverb, 发展 is a verb.
In 科学的发展，科学的 is an adjective, 发展 is a noun.

I'm inclined to agree with Youngfun on this matter, though. Hypothetical sentence:
改革開放以來，科學發展一日千里。 (a)
改革開放以來，科學的發展一日千里。 (b)

I think (b) is clumsier than (a), and (a) is the more likely candidate.