A new path to urbanization

Never in history has a developing country as large as China, with a population of 1.3 billion, attempted to engineer a well-managed process of urbanization. China can no longer follow the beaten track of inefficient and blinkered development relying on borrowed money – this damages the environment and results in an imbalance between the needs of the population and land resources. That path will lead the country nowhere.

At this juncture, China must follow a new path to urbanization and choose the right direction. The people-centered urbanization drive is based on China's realities in the primary stage of socialism. It is a choice that meets our development imperatives and enables us to make the best use of opportunities available to bring assured success to this process.

A people-centered approach is indispensable if we want to achieve the best results of urbanization. Appropriate plans should be worked out to ensure that towns and cities of all sizes complement each other with well-defined functions for coordinated development. Eco-friendly measures will be effectively implemented in our push for green, circular and low-carbon development. Special care must be taken to preserve traditional culture in our effort to redevelop cities and towns with historical landmarks and local or ethnic features.

Quality should be the first priority in the process of urbanization, with more emphasis on increasing the urbanization rate of residents with household registration, providing adequate public services in equal measure to both rural and urban areas and building a more accordable and livable environment in towns and cities where people feel that they are well-served and they are happy with their life.

新型城鎮化道路

中國這樣一個擁有13多億人口的發展中大國實現城鎮化，在人類發展史上沒有先例。粗放擴張、人地失衡、舉債度日、破壞環境的老路不能再走了，也走不通了。在這樣一個十分關鍵的路口，必須走出一條新型城鎮化道路。推進以人為核心的新型城鎮化，就是從社會主義初級階段基本國情出發，遵循規律、順勢而為、水到渠成的發展過程。要堅持以人為本，推進以人為核心的城鎮化；堅持優化布局，促進大中小城市和小城鎮合理分工、功能互補、協同發展；堅持生態文明，著力推進綠色發展、循環發展、低碳發展；堅持傳承文化，發展有歷史記憶、地域特色、民族特點的美麗城鎮。要堅持把城鎮化質量明顯提高擺在突出位置來落實，更加注重提高戶籍人口城鎮化率，更加注重城鄉基本公共服務均等化，更加注重環境宜居和歷史文脈傳承，更加注重提升人民群眾獲得感和幸福感。