The State Council approved the new urbanization implementation plan during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) submitted by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said a circular released on June 7, 2022.

Focusing on high-quality urbanization, the plan should regard transforming the urban development mode as top priority and take institutional innovation as a fundamental driving force. Meeting people’s growing expectations for a better life will be the plan’s final goal.

The plan is supposed to promote a people-centered new urbanization strategy and continue to grant permanent urban residency to the agricultural migrant population. An upgraded urbanization pattern featuring coordinated development in all sizes of cities will be built.

The plan should also promote healthy, livable and safe urban development, further modernize urban governance systems and capabilities, and promote integrated urban and rural development, according to the circular.