Forum on China's new type urbanization held at UN

A forum on China's urbanization process was held on Monday at the UN headquarters, where Chinese experts said that the new model of urbanization will take the country forward to the next level of development in a sustainable manner.

Entitled "A China Story II: New Pathways to urbanization," the forum focused on prospects for the world's sustainable development, in the context of China's recently released National New-type Urbanization Plan (2014-2020), which aims to steer the country's urbanization onto a human-centered and environmentally friendly path.

Patrick Ho Chi-Ping, Deputy Chairman and Secretary General of the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC), said that the new urbanization plan is "a modernization process of generations of Chinese people and of the Chinese society, in which every person can share in the fruits of progress and growth achieved, and lead life with dignity and pride so that individuals can realize their potential and attain their ultimate goals of personal accomplishments."

Pan Jiahua, Director-general of the Institute for Urban & Environment Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that current urbanization levels in China are comparable with the world average, creating a platform stimulating the country's rapid economic growth as well as international economic cooperation and competition.

China's new urbanization will attach great importance to inclusiveness, livability and sustainability, characterizing a transformative development of harmony quality and efficiency, the professor said.

Zhu Dajian, Director of Institute of Governance for Sustainable Development, Tongji University, pointed out that China is facing major challenges in terms of quantity, quality and capacity.

"It is estimated that 1 billion people will be living in Chinese urban areas within these 20 to 30 years, accounting for 70 percent of the population, China will need to implement policies to make Chinese cities sustainable, while reconciling the conflicts between economic development, social justice and environmental conservation," he said.

The forum was organized by CEFC, a nonprofit, non-governmental think tank devoted to public diplomacy and research on strategic issues with emphasis on energy and culture. It has held the first China Story forum in March last year, featuring a theme of Sustainable Development and Governance.