The 2013 China Urbanization and Entrepreneurs Forum took place in Beijing on August 10 .

The 2013 China Urbanization and Entrepreneurs Forum took place in Beijing on August 10 . Organized by the China Center for Urban Development at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the forum drew a variety of experts who discussed pressing issues surrounding China’s new pattern of urbanization and the opportunities and challenges it presents.

 “The crucial step for urbanization in China is reform rather than investment,” asserted Li Tie, director general of the NDRC's China Center for Urban Development. Noting that the key focus for current urbanization efforts in China is to highlight the process of demographic migration to cities and towns, Li reaffirmed the need to recognize that China is pioneering a unique project of urbanization, and therefore should not try to mimic other nations’ modes or patterns. Instead, Li propounded the importance of making it clear China’s current goal in urbanizing is to switch from a quantitative growth pattern to a qualitative growth pattern that makes more efficient use of resources. In particular, he detailed that more qualitative growth will emphasize human-oriented development, such as addressing  mid- and low-income groups’ and the migrant population’s access to public services. A suitable low-cost development approach to China’s urbanization needs to be sought, Li concluded.

 Speaking on industry reform, Pei Changhong, director of the Institute of Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), said that on the whole, China’s more than three decades of manufacturing-driven urban expansion since reform and opening up has been a success. At this new historic point, however, Pei believes transformation and modernization is needed, not just in the industrial service sectors, but also in the agricultural sector. The driving force of urbanization should shift focus from unbridled industrialization to coordinated development of different industries, Pei said.

Huo Wenqi is a reporter from Chinese Social Sciences Today.

The Chinese version appeared in Chinese Social Sciences Today, No. 487, Aug 12, 2013. 

Translated by Jiang Hong
Revised by Charles Horne