China will exert efforts to make its urbanization human-oriented and sustainable, Chinese Vice- Premier Wu Yi and mayors told a forum Wednesday in Nagoya.

Wu said at the 21st Century Urban Development Forum that China is a big country, but the per capita resources are relatively low compared with the world's average level, noticeably in the respect of land, water and energy. Therefore, it is necessary for China to work toward a energy-efficient society, making its urbanization sustainable.

The urban population in China stands at 524 million, accounting for 40.53 percent of the total population. Thanks to the rapid process of urbanization, cities and towns in China are contributing 60 percent of the gross domestic production and 80 percent of national revenue.

In addition, the urbanization also has helped to absorb surplus work force in the rural areas, with some 100 million peasants working in cities.

Yet, China has a long way to go before becoming on a par with developed countries, especially in infrastructure, economic structure, competitiveness, employment and protection of environment in urban areas, Wu noted.

Lu Hao, vice mayor of Beijing, said that the capital city must persistently optimize the industrial structure, speed up the transition of economic growth mode, attach great importance to the contribution of technology to economic development, vigorously foster and develop cycle economy and enhance the utilization efficiency of resources.

In order to protect the 3000-year-old city from destructive impact in face of modernization, Lu said the Beijing municipality will strengthen integrated planning and protection of historical and cultural heritage, and make incessant efforts to advocate scientific, healthy and civilized ways of life.

Wu Zhiqiang, president of College of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tongqi University, said harmony cities includes three dimensions, harmony between human-being and nature, harmony between human-being and society, as well as harmony between history and future.

The general architect of the Expo 2010 Shanghai noted that the city, through urban regeneration in old town, improvement of citizens' living condition and urban ecological environment, will make great contribution to upgrade human settlement quality.

At the forum, Shanghai's mayor Han Zheng pledged to work toward a resources-economical and environment-friendly cosmopolis by, among other things, promoting recycle of resources and reducing energy consumption.

Source: Xinhua