On 27-28 April 2022, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China held the BRICS Urbanization Forum in virtual mode. China and the BRICS countries exchanged policies and experience on how to rise to the challenges posed by urbanization and how to promote the high-quality development of cities. Yang Baojun, chief economist from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development attended and addressed the plenary session of the Forum. Participants to the Forum included officers in charge of the competent departments from other BRICS countries of Russia, India, South Africa and Brazil.

In his address, Yang Baojun said that as the world is in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and profound changes unseen in a century, it is entering a new period of turbulence and transformation when people aspire more to live a better life. Since last year, facing complicated and challenging circumstances both in and outside China, the Chinese government has adopted proactive and effective measures to further promote the new type of urbanization featuring people-centered approach when implementing urban renewal activities to advance high-quality development of cities. To facilitate the sustainable development of cities around the world, the Chinese government also supported the UN-HABITAT to establish the Shanghai Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities to encourage cities all over the world to move faster to implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Following the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, China would like to join hands with all other BRICS countries to further strengthen pragmatic cooperation on urbanization and push forward the high-quality urban development, with the aim of benefiting people of all BRICS countries through such cooperation.

Representatives from other BRICS countries respectively introduced their policies, measures and practices in promoting urban development. They highly commended China’s effort to host the BRICS Urbanization Forum, and fully recognized the progress of the cooperation among BRICS countries in the field of urbanization. They expressed the hope of further enhancing close coordination to make greater contribution to the sustainable development of cities around the world and the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Forum also organized thematic sessions on specific topics like cultural inheritance and green and low-carbon development. Offcials in charge of China Academy of Urban Planning & Design and experts and scholars from BRICS countries held in-depth discussions on relevant topics.

(Source: Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China)