2015年CRI Conference on Urban Development Lays out Solutions for China's Urban Problems

 

In an attempt to focus more on urban problems and ways to solve them, this year's Urban Development Confrence in Beijing has shifted its focus away from infrastructure¹ constrcution toward proper urban development. 

Those at the event say this is the first time in 37-years the focus of the annual session has not been on infrastructure building. 

Professor Qi Shuyu with the National School of Administration says the timing² of the conference, at the end of the current five-year plan, is a sign the central government is starting to better understand the need for proper urban management. 

"Urban development plays a pivotal role in the development of the country, especially in the development of the Chinese economy in the coming 5-years. Urban areas are both major areas for consumers and service providers. In addition, innovation mostly comes from urban areas as well. But at the same time, urban areas are also the places where major problems can take place. Take the Shenzhen landslide³ as an example." 

Qi Shuyu says one of the priorities they've focused on is safety. 

He says the other is developing cities on the basis of serving "people." 

"We need to better understand what the essence of a city is, as well as better define what responsibilities the government should take. Urbanization should serve people's needs. The highest level of urbanization is its livability. Another point is how the government can take its own steps toward better serving the interests of the people." 

This year's conference also discussed ways to give migrant workers in cities more opportunities. 

Qi Shuyu says any new urbanization programs should balance the needs of the locals with those who are non-hukou holders⁴. 

"Urbanization shouldn't just benefit those who have lived in a city for a long time. It should also be beneficial to the development of people from rural areas. The problem of rapid urbanization is here, now that farmers are coming off the fields and looking for work in cities." 

The Chinese goverment has been taking steps toward green development in Chinese cities. 

However, observers say a number of obstacles still lie ahead. Professor Qi Shuyu says the actual conditions in China, including the massive population flows, have been holding back the urbanization process. 

"For one thing, urbanization is happening too fast. This is the main driver of the massive population flows, which, in turn, create very high demand for infrastructure construction, management and services in a city. Another hurdle⁵ is the concept of 'city,' the center of which should be 'people' instead its economic development. The last is the management of the government, including the elimination⁶ of bureaucracy, as many municipal functions are overlapping⁷ and conflicting." 

China's urbanization rate surpassed 50 percent this year 2015. 

In 1978 when Reform and Opening up was first suggested, only around 18 percent of the country lived in an urban setting. 

To adapt to the changes in the social structure in China, a new urbanization plan is going to be released next year. 

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

3 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

4 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

5 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

6 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

7 overlapping   

adj./n.交迭（的）

参考例句：

• There is no overlapping question between the two courses. 这两门课程之间不存在重叠的问题。
• A trimetrogon strip is composed of three rows of overlapping. 三镜头摄影航线为三排重迭的象片所组成。