The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development recently released data showing that in the year, the number of newly started renovation projects for old urban residential areas nationwide reached a certain number, exceeding the annual target of a certain number.

Since the beginning of this year, the State Council executive meetings and the national video conference on urban renewal deployment have successively studied, promoted, and implemented urban renewal. Local governments have also intensified their efforts to introduce policies.

Multiple Points of Bloom: Urban Renewal and Quality Enhancement Accelerate

On sunny days, Aunt Gan, who lives in Jinhongyuan in Jinjiang District of Chengdu, and her neighbors love to bring out chairs to bask in the sun in the courtyard of their community. "The roads used to be potholed, water would accumulate when it rained, the passageways were dark, and the cables were a mess. Everyone wanted to move out," said Aunt Gan. "After the renovation, the building facades were refreshed, the hallways became tidy, and the rainwater and sewage were separated. Now, no one wants to leave."

In the year, Chengdu continued to advance the renovation project of old urban residential areas, renovating a total of residential communities throughout the year, an increase of .% compared to the previous year.

Across the nation, many regions are accelerating the pace of urban renewal. Driving into the "Zhenru Realm" area of Putuo District in Shanghai, one can find a comprehensive mix of commercial complexes, office buildings, theaters, parks, and residential areas. Who would have thought that this area was once the largest urban village in central Shanghai—Hongqi Village.

"Urban renewal has not only improved the dilapidated appearance of urban villages but also facilitated industrial upgrading through the strategy of 'replacing the old with the new'," said Gui Weijun, a former cadre of the Hongqi Village Committee. He noted that the area, once filled with numerous traditional primary markets, is now evolving into a hub for digital and technological innovation industries.

In the past year, Shanghai has accelerated the efforts to tackle the renovation of "two old and one village" areas. The city has completed scattered old renovation projects covering millions of square meters, finished the comprehensive renovation of old housing covering millions of square meters, and initiated several urban village renovation projects.

This is a scene of Zhongshuge Bookstore located in the Italian Style Area of Tianjin, captured on a specific date. The bookstore is one of the projects under the urban renewal and enhancement initiative in the central area of Tianjin. Photo by Sun Fanyue, Xinhua News Agency.

In Tianjin, various resource revitalization and renewal projects, including land, industrial, commercial, academic circles, over-track developments, and historic architecture, are being categorized and advanced. Currently, Tianjin has reviewed and tendered urban renewal projects, with constructions already initiated for projects such as the Xiannong Compound and the First Machine Tool Plant.

According to data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the scope of urban village renovation has expanded to multiple cities this year, with urban village renovation projects being implemented and the renovation of dilapidated urban housing reaching tens of thousands of units (rooms).

Multiple Efforts to Promote High-Quality Urban Development

Currently, China's urban development has transitioned from incremental expansion to the optimization of existing resources. The State Council executive meeting has proposed to adhere to a problem-oriented and goal-oriented approach, comprehensively promote the optimization of urban structure, improvement of functions, and enhancement of quality, aiming to create livable, resilient, and smart cities.

First, conduct a health check-up, then proceed with updates; the issues identified during the check-up become the focus of the updates. "We continuously update and improve the health check-up indicator database, establish a regular public participation mechanism, and systematically identify the difficulties and bottlenecks around the public and the shortcomings in urban development from six levels: housing, neighborhoods, communities, blocks, districts, and the city," said Wei Haijun, Deputy Director of the Urban Renewal Office at the Tianjin Municipal Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission. Currently, Tianjin is organizing the compilation of the annual urban renewal implementation plan, specifying the annual construction and investment contents.

In Chengdu, the Mengzhuiwan area, originally an industrial site, underwent urban renewal by transforming the riverside road into a pedestrian district. The streets and alleys were interconnected, introducing bookstores, cafes, restaurants, and creative cultural spaces along the streets. It also preserved a decades-old Sichuan opera club and a traditional barber shop, blending "local charm" with "modern style." Today, it has become a popular spot for young people to visit.

The renovated Mengzhuiwan area in Chengdu. (Photo by Ma Zhenyu)

"Urban development is not about spreading out like a pancake, especially in old urban areas. It is essential to organically combine urban renewal with the preservation of historical context," said Chen Mingkun, Director of the Chengdu Park City Construction and Development Research Institute.

Adapting to the demands of modern urban development, reshaping the city's image and functions is an important aspect of urban renewal. In Shanghai, the Panlong Tiandi commercial district, which has transformed from an urban village, integrates historical context with new functions into the spatial fabric of the ancient town, and continues to evolve and innovate.

An official from the Shanghai Municipal Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission stated that Shanghai is making every effort to revitalize inefficient land use, implement regional renewal and transformation, and achieve dual improvements in high-quality development and high-quality living.

According to the national housing and urban-rural development work conference, this year, China will plan and implement a series of urban renewal and renovation projects, aiming to fully complete the renovation tasks of old urban residential communities built before the end of the year. At the same time, the country will continue to carry out livelihood and development projects such as the construction of complete communities, the renovation and utilization of existing buildings, the renewal and renovation of old neighborhoods, and the construction and renovation of underground pipeline networks and corridors.

Implement Multiple Measures to Establish a Sustainable Urban Renewal Mechanism

Urban renewal is a complex systematic project. The State Council executive meeting proposed to support local governments in conducting innovative explorations tailored to local conditions and to establish and improve sustainable urban renewal mechanisms.

From the perspective of Dong Yu, the Executive Vice President of the China Development Planning Research Institute at Tsinghua University, urban renewal holds immense market potential. It is essential to deepen reforms in urban construction, operation, and governance systems, and to establish sustainable models and policy regulations for urban renewal.

Currently, various regions are conducting innovative explorations in urban renewal tailored to local conditions—

To promote the revitalization and utilization of existing resources, Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province supports various implementing entities in developing new industries and business formats using existing buildings, enhancing public service functions. It permits temporary changes in the use of buildings, establishes positive and negative lists for functional conversion, and maintains the transition period for land use rights and land use purposes unchanged for the year.

To further enhance the financial support for urban renewal, Chongqing has designated government special bonds as a crucial source of funding for urban renewal. The city is focusing on tapping into the long-term benefits of projects, effectively combining different types of funding, and strengthening the integration of various financial resources.

To enhance resource coordination and industrial planning, Chengdu has delineated key renewal units and general renewal units. Each district government is responsible for organizing the preparation of implementation plans for these renewal units, strengthening business operation planning, and guiding project implementation in an orderly manner. A representative from Chengdu Construction Engineering Group stated that the more comprehensive the government's policies, plans, and guidelines are, the clearer the focus points for enterprises participating in urban renewal become.

住房城乡建设部相关负责人表示，要构建城市管理新模式，完善“一委一办一平台”，推动城市管理融入基层治理，形成智慧高效治理新体系，提高城市管理科学化、精细化、智能化水平。（记者胡旭、郑钧天、隋福毅） Statement: Xinhua Finance is the national financial information platform constructed by Xinhua News Agency. Under no circumstances does the information released by this platform constitute investment advice.

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