Beijing has set itself a new plan: no mindless sprawl, but a quality and green urban environment for the people. President Xi Jinping has unveiled new priorities for the development of China's cities to be beautiful, smart and morally cultured.
During the two-day Central Urban Work Conference in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping argued for a major turnaround in the approach to urbanisation. Instead of runaway sprawl, Chinese cities should focus on quality, efficiency and the well-being of residents.
Xi stressed that urbanization has entered a new phase. China - until recently predominantly agricultural - now registers over 67 % inhabitants in cities. More than 150 million urban jobs have been created since 2013. The new approach is set to lead to the creation of "modern cities of the people, for the people and by the people".
According to the President, Chinese cities should become innovative, culturally rich, resilient and environmentally friendly. The emphasis is on intelligent design, sustainable construction and preserving local characteristics. Xi also calls for cities "with a moral ethos" that exemplify social civilisation.
The conference highlighted specific priorities: building vibrant cities that support innovation, improving the comfort of living, developing green infrastructure, strengthening security and digitising services. Cities should not only be functional, but also aesthetically appealing and culturally inspiring.
Premier Li Qiang delivered a closing speech in which he called for the consistent implementation of the goals set under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Other participants included members of the Politburo Standing Committee, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi.
This new framework comes at a time when China is looking for a balanced model of modernisation - one that does not overlook people, does not forget nature and inspires the world.
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