China's Urban Development: Six Key Principles for the Future
The Central Urban Work Conference in China has recently emphasized a renewed focus on urban development, adopting a people-centric approach to city planning and construction. This pivot is encapsulated in the phrase "建设现代化人民城市有6个关键词," which translates to "Building a Modernized People's City with 6 Key Keywords." These keywords - innovation, livability, beauty, resilience, civility, and smartness - are central to the government's vision for urban development and are expected to have a profound impact on the daily lives of citizens across China.
16 July 2025
The concept of building modern people's cities is not new, but the explicit emphasis on these six key terms is a recent development. It builds upon decades of urban development, planning, and addressing challenges within China's modernization drive. The underlying concepts of urban modernization in China have a longer history, dating back to the post-reform and opening-up period since 1978, which has seen rapid urbanization and evolving urban planning, construction, and management.
The six keywords represent a comprehensive and integrated strategy for China's urban future, aiming for sustainable, technologically advanced, and people-centric cities. They will undoubtedly reshape the country's industrial landscape, social fabric, and political governance. The government's focus on innovation will drive industries towards technological advancement and R&D, while the emphasis on livability and beauty will promote sustainable practices and green technologies.
The push for resilient cities will fuel the growth of industries related to disaster preparedness, smart infrastructure, and emergency services. The focus on intelligence will lead to a more tech-savvy and digitally connected society, with citizens experiencing improved convenience through smart services. However, this may also bring new challenges related to data privacy and the digital divide.
Politically, the emphasis on these six keywords reflects a top-down strategic approach to urban development, indicating the central government's strong role in guiding city planning and resource allocation. This implies stricter implementation and monitoring mechanisms for urban policies. Local governments will be under pressure to demonstrate progress in achieving these urban development goals, which could lead to a performance-based evaluation system for city officials.
The pursuit of "modernized people's cities" also positions China's urban development in a global context, which may lead to increased international cooperation on urban planning, sustainable development, and smart city technologies. The concept of a "civilized" and "livable" city implicitly includes a focus on social stability, with political efforts aimed at addressing social inequalities, managing urban migration effectively, and ensuring public order to maintain harmonious urban environments.
Key figures, such as General Secretary Xi Jinping, have emphasized the importance of grasping scientific and technological innovation to build a modern industrial system. Representatives from the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference have also discussed advancing Chinese modernization with the General Secretary. The Sichuan Provincial Department of Education has highlighted the challenges in education related to urban population shifts and changes in school-age demographics.
The Central Urban Work Conference has outlined seven key tasks for urban work, with the first task being to optimize the modern urban system. The subsequent six tasks directly correspond to the six keywords, including building vibrant innovative cities, creating comfortable and convenient living environments, promoting green and low-carbon beautiful cities, enhancing urban resilience, fostering civilized and morally upright urban communities, and constructing convenient and efficient smart cities.
Overall, the renewed focus on urban development in China, as embodied by the six key keywords, is a significant policy directive that will have far-reaching implications for the country's urban planning, development, and governance.
