“New Pathways to Urbanization: Initiatives by China in advancing Sustainable Cities”
Organized by Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN, and the China Energy Fund Committee
Held at the United Nations Headquarters, New York
July 8, Tuesday, 2014

A Luncheon Forum entitled “New Pathways to Urbanization: Initiatives by China in Advancing Sustainable Cities” was held in New York today, hosted by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), UN, and the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC).

The forum brought together the UN System organizations, major group representatives and policy makers with the participation of Mr. Liu Jieyi, the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. John W. Ashe, the President of the 68th Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Martin Sajdik, the President of Economic and Social Council, Mr. Wu Hongbo, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on the MDGs, and Prof. Patrick C.P. Ho, Deputy Chairman and Secretary General of the China Energy Fund Committee.

The world is about to embark on a transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of Rio+20 to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the post 2015 agenda, and “Urbanization” will be an overarching theme of the SDGs in the coming decades.

However, to this day, the process of urbanization is still occurring and evolving. Many of the problems associated with it are growing in both developing and developed cities and cannot be easily solved.

China, as one of the developing economies in the world, has enjoyed the highest rate of urbanization growth and brought 350 million of rural people to cities over the past 30 years. With 95% of forecasted urban expansion taking place in the developing world in the coming two decades, it is expected that China alone will account for 90% of this. Such massive changes in China will pose huge social, economic and environmental challenges. Despite these challenges, it also creates tremendous opportunities, which help China extend its economic growth beyond city boundaries to help reduce rural poverty.

China’s recently released “National New-Type Urbanization Plan (2014-2020)” covers a remarkable broad ambit. It incorporates economic, social and environmental developments, further enriching it with political and cultural considerations. It demonstrates the importance placed on finding new ways to avoid challenges arising from extensive expansion, taking China forward to the next level of development in a sustainable manner.

This new urbanization plan stresses human-centered development as a crucial aspect for China’s sustainable growth. It is not about building cities. It is about building people, about turning rural residents into citizens. It is a modernization process of generations of Chinese people and of the Chinese society, in which every person can share in the fruits of progress and growth attained and lead life with dignity and pride so that individuals can realize their potential and attain their ultimate goals of personal achievements. A sustainable lifestyle among citizens recalling the traditionally Chinese values of simplicity and moderation is particularly central to the discussion on urbanization as a process of transformation

China’s New Type Urbanization is a new model for promoting sustainable development of the country as a whole. It sets a future course for sustainable development that will revitalize the entire Chinese nation. The Chinese are confident and are capable of bearing such a responsibility, to make significant contribution to achieving the world’s sustainable development goals, and to share their experiences and opportunities with cities all over the world.

About China Energy Fund Committee
China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC) is a nongovernmental, nonpartisan, not-for-profit Chinese think-tank registered in Hong Kong. It has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC). CEFC is dedicated to fostering international dialogue and understanding of cultural values, regional cooperation, energy security, and issues relating to China’s emerging place in the world. It also aims to promote international cooperation and mutual respect through public diplomacy.

Official website of the forum: http://www.cefc-ngo.co

Communication Department
China Energy Fund Committee

Media Enquiries:

Ms. Vivian Wong,
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Email: hlwong@chinaenergyfund.org
Fax: (852) 2655 1616

Mr. Steven Cheng,
Tel: (852) 2655 1666
Email: wkcheng@chinaenergyfund.org
Fax: (852) 2655 1616