China will prioritize four key initiatives to accelerate the people-centered new urbanization by practicing incremental policies and fortifying support and enforcement, said Zheng Bei, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on Tuesday.
The new measures are meant to systematically implement a package of incremental policies to promote economic growth, structural optimization and sustained momentum of development, he said.
To address the challenges faced by migrant workers in settling in large cities, Zheng said that cities with over three million urban residents will further relax the restrictions for urban household registration, expand public household registration systems at the community level, and enhance policies allowing migrant workers to register through rental housing.
Long-term special government bonds will be allocated to support essential projects in cities with high population increase, including the building of high schools and the renovation of hospitals there, addressing key concerns of migrant workers in areas such as education and healthcare, she said.
Special-purpose bonds for local governments and medium- and long-term loans from policy banks will be used to accelerate the construction of infrastructure and industrial facilities in county-level cities. Furthermore, efforts will be intensified to promote industrial integration between central, western, and eastern regions, facilitating the implementation of major projects, Zheng said.
Local government bonds will be used to expand the construction of suburban and intercity railways, as well as urban expressways, creating interconnected commuting, industrial, and living zones. This will promote integrated urban development and improve living standards for residents, according to the official.
Zheng also highlighted efforts to boost urban safety and resilience.
"We will focus on eliminating risks in urban construction and operations, particularly through infrastructure projects like underground pipeline networks. Investments for next year have been advanced, with a special emphasis on the urban lifeline safety project. Additionally, flood control and drainage systems will be improved to address vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure," she said.
China accelerates people-centered new urbanization with incremental policies: official
China accelerates people-centered new urbanization with incremental policies: official
