The widespread use of `优化` is a direct reflection of modern China's key priorities: efficiency, technological advancement, and global competitiveness. Since the period of “Reform and Opening Up” (改革开放 - gǎigé kāifàng), the entire country has been engaged in a massive project of optimization—from state-owned enterprises to city planning and resource management. While the English word “optimize” is a direct counterpart, its cultural weight in China is arguably greater. In the West, “optimization” is primarily a business or technical term. In China, `优化` has become a national buzzword. The government frequently speaks of `优化营商环境` (“optimizing the business environment”) or `优化产业结构` (“optimizing the industrial structure”). This reflects a collective, top-down and bottom-up drive for constant, systematic improvement. It's less about a single project and more about an ongoing national philosophy of progress, a key value in contemporary Chinese society.
`优化` is a standard term in professional, academic, and technical settings. It's almost always positive and implies a thoughtful, data-driven approach.
A common pitfall for learners is to use `优化` for any general improvement. It's more specific than the English “improve.” The key is to remember `优化` implies making a *system* or *process* better, often towards an ideal or optimal state.