The Central Urban Work Conference was recently held in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech.
In his remarks, President Xi reviewed the achievements of China’s urban development in the new era, analyzed the current landscape of urban work, and clarified the overall requirements, guiding principles, and key priorities for future progress in this area.
He noted that China’s urbanization has entered a new phase, transitioning from rapid expansion to steady, high-quality development. Urban growth, he emphasized, should now focus more on optimizing existing resources rather than pursuing large-scale expansion. Xi stressed that urban work must be grounded in a deep understanding of evolving conditions and must actively adapt to changes. A people-centered development philosophy should be at the heart of this transition.
The conference highlighted the need to reshape the model of urban development by promoting more efficient and intensive growth. Greater focus is needed on shifting development momentum toward quality and character, on enhancing governance capacity, and on improving integrated planning and coordination.
Urban development strategies should prioritize building modern governance systems, fostering innovation-driven cities, and creating livable environments that are green, low-carbon, safe, and resilient. Moreover, moral and inclusive civic values should be strengthened, and smart city initiatives should be advanced to ensure efficiency and convenience.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang also addressed the conference with a brief speech.
Source: Cai, Alim and Wang Haiman, China Media Grou.