China Announces "Opinions on Promoting High-Quality Urban Development" as New Urban Strategy

The Communist Party of China and the State Council announced on August 28 the "Opinions on Promoting High-Quality Urban Development" (document dated August 15). The document notes that China\'s urbanization has transitioned from rapid growth to stable growth period, requiring a shift from quantitative expansion to qualitative improvement. Cities are positioned as "important carriers of modernization construction" and "happy living spaces for the people," declaring the promotion of high-quality urban development as a national strategy. Main goals include establishing policies and systems corresponding to high-quality urban development by 2030, optimizing urban structure, improving living quality, and making significant progress in building modernized people\'s cities that are green, safe, and culturally attractive. Basic completion is targeted for 2035. On July 14-15, the "Central Urban Work Conference" was held for the first time in about 10 years with all seven Politburo Standing Committee members including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang attending. Compared to 10 years ago, the role of cities has changed from "growth engine" to "national living space and foundation of happiness." Policy challenges have also shifted from "responding to urban diseases" to "promoting high-quality growth, improving value and effectiveness of existing resources, and thoroughly ensuring safety." The plan promotes regional collaboration in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, positions county-level cities as important carriers, constructs sustainable and stable new development models for real estate industry, restricts high-rise apartment construction, renovates aging pipelines, and builds green low-carbon cities, disaster-resilient cities, and digital technology-utilizing cities.