APEC Urbanization Forum to be Held in Ningbo
- Details
- Category: Ningbo News
- Published: Tuesday, 31 May 2016 10:04
In the News briefing held by National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on the afternoon of May 25th, it’s announced that the APEC Urbanization Forum would be hosted by Ningbo from June 2nd to 3rd. Over 200 guests from APEC member countries will participate in the Forum, discussing the topic of “Urbanization and Inclusive Growth”. Besides, the Forum will also release the “Ningbo Initiative”. Xu Lin, head of Planning Department of NDRC, and Chen Yijun, member of Standing Committee of the CPC Ningbo Municipal Committee and vice mayor, were present in the news briefing.
The upcoming Forum is an attempt to implement the results of APEC 2015 as well as the first large and high-level forum on the theme of urbanization. Specifically, it includes an opening ceremony, a ministerial roundtable, a press conference of Ningbo Initiative, six theme forums, field trips for delegates and other activities. During the Forum, the participants will revolve around topics like interaction among Asia-Pacific cities, urban sustainable development and innovation in urbanization, focusing on specific issues of all sorts like enhancing urban infrastructure and amenities, constructing smart and green cities, effecting urban reconstruction, innovating in financing practice during urbanization, boosting small and medium-sized cities, etc. Besides, the aforementioned press conference will enable participants to exchange opinions on topics including the inclusive urban development, innovative development, urban governance and sustainable development.
So why was Ningbo honored to hold the Forum? “Ningbo is among the first crop of pilot cities for the national experiment of neo-urbanization. It made many significant attempts during its urbanization that might inspire APEC members,” explained Chen, adding that Ningbo has always emphasized the coordinated development of all large and small cities and innovation in urban construction and regulatory systems. Moreover, it blazed a new trail of its own in its urbanization while striving to foster and develop satellite cities, central towns and characteristic towns and promote the city-industry integration and balanced development of urban and rural area.
What’s more, in recent years, Ningbo has explored new ways to build a green and smart city rich in culture by pioneering the construction of a smart and low-carbon "sponge city"(i.e. a city that absorbs and purifies water in rainy days and use it in dry weather). It also made great achievements as to the acceptance of rural migrants, diversification of financing and investment practices and reforms on regulatory systems. In 2015, the income ratio of the urban and rural residents in Ningbo stood at 1.8:1, and meanwhile its urbanization rate rose to 71.1%, about 15% higher than the national average. The highly-coordinated development of urban and rural area Ningbo achieved outstripped most of its peers in Zhejiang and even in China
