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(zhèn)化道路

中國這樣一個擁有13多億人口的發(fā)展中大國實現(xiàn)城鎮(zhèn)化，在人類發(fā)展史上沒有先例。粗放擴(kuò)張、人地失衡、舉債度日、破壞環(huán)境的老路不能再走了，也走不通了。在這樣一個十分關(guān)鍵的路口，必須走出一條新型城鎮(zhèn)化道路。推進(jìn)以人為核心的新型城鎮(zhèn)化，就是從社會主義初級階段基本國情出發(fā)，遵循規(guī)律、順勢而為、水到渠成的發(fā)展過程。要堅持以人為本，推進(jìn)以人為核心的城鎮(zhèn)化；堅持優(yōu)化布局，促進(jìn)大中小城市和小城鎮(zhèn)合理分工、功能互補、協(xié)同發(fā)展；堅持生態(tài)文明，著力推進(jìn)綠色發(fā)展、循環(huán)發(fā)展、低碳發(fā)展；堅持傳承文化，發(fā)展有歷史記憶、地域特色、民族特點的美麗城鎮(zhèn)。要堅持把城鎮(zhèn)化質(zhì)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(zhèn)化率，更加注重城鄉(xiāng)基本公共服務(wù)均等化，更加注重環(huán)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。