Lin Chen and Li Jing: Guiding People’s City Construction with the People’s City Concept [1]
Cities are the hubs of China’s economic, political, cultural, and social activities, occupying a position of decisive importance in the overall work of the Party and the state. Since the 18th National Congress [1], General Secretary Xi Jinping has scientifically grasped the major trends of urban development, gained profound insights into its laws, and delivered a series of important discourses on urban work, many of which are reflected in the first volume of the Selected Economic Writings of Xi Jinping. For instance, his "Speech at the Central Conference on Urbanization" pointed out: "The level of urban construction concerns not only the quality of life of residents but is also where the vitality of a city lies." "Speeding Up the Establishment of a New Development Pattern and Striving to Promote High-Quality Development" noted the need to "uphold the principle that the people’s city is built by the people and for the people; improve the levels of urban planning, construction, and governance; accelerate the transformation of the development models of megacities and super-large cities; implement urban renewal actions; strengthen urban infrastructure construction; and build livable, resilient, and smart cities," among other points. On the new journey in the New Era, the vital role of cities in China's economic and social development and the improvement of people's livelihoods has become increasingly prominent. We must deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses on urban work, firmly grasp the laws of urban development, practice the concept of the "People's City," and promote high-quality development of cities within the process of Chinese-path modernization.
The "People’s City" concept is the essential core of the path of urban development with Chinese characteristics
In his "Speech at the Central Conference on Urbanization," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Urbanization is the path that must be taken toward modernization." Achieving urbanization in a large developing country with a population of over 1.4 billion has no precedent in human history. The massive scale of China's urban population and its severe resource constraints dictate that China cannot follow the old path of Western urban development, but must instead follow a path of urban development with Chinese characteristics. The Central Conference on Urban Work held in 2015 explicitly proposed "improving the level of new-type urbanization and carving out a path of urban development with Chinese characteristics," further requiring the Party to "persist in the principle that the people's city is for the people." The People’s City concept profoundly answers the fundamental questions of for whom and by whom urban construction and development are carried out; it is the essential core of the path of urban development with Chinese characteristics.
Cities are the landmarks of human civilization. Modern cities are the result of the development of productive forces and the social division of labor. Since the Industrial Revolution, along with the progression of modernization, the status of cities in the development of a nation or society has continuously risen. According to a 2023 UN-Habitat report, in 1800, the urban population accounted for only 2% of the global population; in 1900, this proportion reached 15%. In the 1950s, the urban population began to expand. By 1950, urban dwellers accounted for approximately 30% of the global population, exceeding 50% by 2007, and reaching 56% by 2023. Currently, cities contribute more than 80% of global GDP; they are both the engines driving world economic development and important carriers for creating a happy life, holding great significance for promoting the well-rounded development of individuals. In the process of urban development, different ideological concepts and theoretical schools have formed regarding what kind of cities to build and how to build them.
Modern urban construction in China started relatively late; at the end of 1949, the urbanization rate of China's population was only 10.64%. After the founding of New China, under the strong leadership of our Party and alongside "One Industrialization and Three Transformations" [2] and the recovery and development of the national economy, a group of emerging industrial and mining cities was born. Population gravitated toward cities, and the number of town dwellers increased steadily. Since reform and opening up, China has experienced the largest and fastest urbanization process in world history, with spectacular urban development. From 1978 to 2012, the number of cities in China increased from 193 to 657, and designated towns increased from 2,173 to 19,881; the urban population grew from 170 million to 710 million, and the urbanization rate rose from 17.9% to 52.6%, basically reaching the world average. The three major city clusters of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta possess substantial strength, while the urban landscape in the central, western, and northeastern regions has undergone significant changes, becoming major fronts for economic growth.
Since the 18th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to strengthening the Party's leadership over urban work. It has deployed and implemented a series of major strategies and important measures to promote people-centered new-type urbanization and has forged a path of urban development with Chinese characteristics. In 2013, at the Central Conference on Urbanization, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized "promoting the development of China's urbanization along the correct direction" and stated that "the correct direction is new-type urbanization." He summarized the basic principles for promoting new-type urbanization into four aspects: being people-oriented, optimizing layout, ecological civilization, and cultural inheritance. In 2015, at the Central Conference on Urban Work, he pointed out: "To do urban work well, we must adapt to the new situation of urban work, the new requirements of reform and development, and the new expectations of the people. We must adhere to the people-centered development philosophy and the principle that the people's city is for the people." In 2019, while inspecting Shanghai, he proposed that "the people's city is built by the people and for the people." In 2020, at the 30th-anniversary celebration of the development and opening of Pudong, he emphasized that "we must uphold the principal status of the broad masses of the people in urban construction and development." In 2022, in the report to the 20th National Congress, he once again emphasized "upholding the principle that the people’s city is built by the people and for the people." This series of important discourses by General Secretary Xi Jinping consistently reflects that urban work must remain people-centered.
The People’s City concept is precisely the vivid manifestation of the people-centered philosophy in urban work. The People’s City concept profoundly elucidates that Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee and greatest advantage of people's city construction, and that urban work must involve strengthening and improving Party leadership. It profoundly clarifies the principal status of the broad masses in urban construction and development: construction must prioritize making cities livable and secure for the people, leave the best resources to the people, and make life in the city more convenient, comfortable, and beautiful. It profoundly clarifies the need to coordinate the "three structures" (spatial, scale, and industrial), the "three links" (planning, construction, and management), the "three drivers" (reform, technology, and culture), the "three layouts" (production, living, and ecology), and the "three subjects" (government, society, and citizens) to better promote the construction of a people’s city. The People's City concept deeply explains the fundamental guarantees, value orientations, target tasks, and methodological approaches for building people's cities, representing a profound grasp of the laws of urban development.
Since the beginning of the New Era, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has practiced the People’s City concept and adhered to the path of urban development with Chinese characteristics. By the end of 2023, China’s permanent resident urbanization rate reached 66.16%, with over 930 million people living in towns and cities. The "two horizontal and three vertical" [3] urbanization strategic pattern has basically taken shape, the coordination of regional urban development has been enhanced, and spatial distribution has become increasingly balanced. The number of cities has reached 694, with 29 cities having a permanent population of over 5 million and 11 cities having over 10 million. The urban economy has entered a stage of high-quality development, with vitality released and resilience demonstrated. In 2023, the GDP of cities at the prefecture-level and above reached 77.0 trillion yuan, contributing 61.1% of the national GDP. The platform economy, sharing economy, and digital economy have flourished, releasing urban consumption vitality. Supported by high-quality urban development, social welfare protections have been continuously improved, and the people's lives have become better. From 2013 to 2023, China achieved a cumulative total of over 140 million new urban jobs. Except for 2020 and 2022, which were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the surveyed urban unemployment rate remained within 5.5% in all other years. Integrated urban-rural development has shown significant results: residency restrictions for cities with a permanent urban population of less than 3 million have been basically abolished, the equalization of basic public services in urban and rural areas has been deeply promoted, and the level of urban-rural infrastructure integration has significantly increased.
Accurately grasping the distinctive characteristics of the People’s City
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his "Speech at the Central Conference on Urbanization" that "solving the problem of 'people' is the key to promoting new-type urbanization." In "Basic Thinking on Doing Urban Work Well," he noted: "Citizens are the principal subject of urban construction and development. We must respect the citizens' rights to know, participate, and supervise in urban development decision-making, and encourage enterprises and citizens to participate in urban construction and management through various means." Currently, China's urban development has entered an important period of urban renewal. The People’s City concept imparts distinctive characteristics to China's urban development, making the lives of the people happier.
Adhering to a people-oriented approach. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The core of a city is its people. Whether urban work is done well is primarily judged by whether the people are satisfied and whether life is convenient. We must be people-oriented, continuously improve urban functions, and enhance the quality of life for the masses." Cities are the carriers of a better life for the people; the masses are the subjects of urban construction and the source of power for urban development. By adhering to a people-oriented approach, practicing whole-process people’s democracy, and organically unifying the people's role as masters of the country with our Party’s fundamental purpose of serving the people whole-heartedly, we can firmly focus on the twelve characters representing "clothing, food, housing, transport, birth, age, illness, death, living in peace, and working in contentment" [4]. Only then can we promote high-quality development that unifies urban development with the improvement of people's livelihoods. For example, Shanghai integrates whole-process people's democracy into the modernization of urban governance, utilizing various forms such as "people's deliberative halls" and community livestreaming rooms to stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of the people in creating a better life, building a community of urban governance, and promoting deep public participation in urban governance, construction, and maintenance. In 2024, Xiamen adopted 40 livelihood items through a vote by the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress to resolve the most direct livelihood issues, ensuring that the people share in the fruits of development and creating a foundation for urban happiness. Practicing the People’s City concept requires implementing whole-process people's democracy in the construction, operation, and governance of the city, better constructing a community of urban governance where everyone participates, everyone is responsible, everyone contributes, and everyone shares, empowering balanced and accessible basic public services, and making urban life more convenient, comfortable, and beautiful.
Attaching high importance to the protection of history and culture. In 2015, in "Basic Thinking on Doing Urban Work Well," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "As for China's more than 5,000 years of long civilization, the city is a major carrier." In 2018, during an inspection in Guangdong, he emphasized: "Urban planning and construction must attach high importance to the protection of history and culture; we must not seek quick results or engage in large-scale demolition and construction." In their formation and development, cities have inherited and accumulated every bit of history, witnessing and carrying the developmental course of culture. By revering history and respecting culture, and by integrating the protection of historical and cultural resources into the lives of citizens, we can better continue the urban cultural lineage, achieve the "nourishing of the city through culture," and better meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the people. The Chinese nation possesses a history of civilization spanning over 5,000 years; the cultural continuity and historical inheritance of every city contain the wisdom of the Chinese nation in advancing with the times, its inclusive spirit, and its endlessly renewing culture. These witness the city's past, highlight its heritage, and portend its future; they are not only the wealth of contemporary people but also the characteristic resources for future generations. Promoting urban development requires a profound realization that culture is the soul of the city. For instance, Beijing has established the overall framework of "one core, one city, three belts, and two zones" for the construction of a national cultural center, formulating regulations for the protection of its famous historical and cultural city to ensure the modernization of a megacity and the protection of historical inheritance complement each other, continuing the urban lineage in the construction of the people’s city. Practicing the People's City concept and building people's cities requires not only promoting urban economic development but also doing a good job in excavating and protecting historical and cultural resources, allowing the protection of historical remains to blend into urban renewal, so that the city retains its memories and the people "remember their nostalgia" (xiangchou) [5].
Strive to advance urban modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Cities are important carriers of modernization." As the areas with the most active economic and social development, urban modernization is an inherent requirement for advancing Chinese-path modernization and an important manifestation of its developmental achievements. The essence of modernization is the modernization of people. China's cities are the spatial carriers and primary battlefields for promoting high-quality development, facilitating integrated urban-rural development, and improving the well-being of the people; they are also crucial sites for promoting the modernization of people. With well-developed systems for education and talent, and advanced digital, networked, and intelligent tools, cities can better promote a leap in the quality of laborers, instruments of labor, and subjects of labor, as well as their optimized combination, thereby developing new quality productive forces. For example, Hangzhou relies on its data foundation and computing power [6] to strengthen the construction of its "City Brain," creating a smart city with digitized operations and intelligent governance. At the same time, it must be recognized that urban modernization is not simply industrial expansion or population concentration, nor can it come at the expense of the countryside; rather, it must promote the well-rounded development of people while advancing the realization of common prosperity for all. To practice the concept of the People's City and build People's Cities, we must fully utilize modern scientific and technological means, strengthen the leading role of innovation, and implement development concepts that are intensive, efficient, green, low-carbon, secure, and resilient. This involves shifting urban development from traditional incremental expansion [7] toward high-quality improvement in quality and efficiency. By optimizing resource allocation, enhancing urban quality, and strengthening urban resilience, we ensure that all classes and groups do not fall behind in the modernization process and share in the fruits of development, making the city not only an engine of economic development but also a happy home where people live and work in peace and achieve well-rounded development.
Prioritize the protection of the urban ecological environment. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "A good ecological environment is the fairest public product and the most universal benefit for the people’s well-being." He further stated: "To build a modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature, we must place the protection of the urban ecological environment in a more prominent position, and scientifically and rationally plan the production space, living space, and ecological space of cities." The history of urban development through the ages shows that cities and nature are symbiotic rather than antagonistic; cities should be products that conform to nature rather than invaders of it. As the areas where human activity is most concentrated, modern cities consume vast amounts of natural resources and are the sites where pollution emissions are most concentrated. According to UN-Habitat statistics, while cities occupy less than 2% of the earth's surface, they consume 78% of the world's energy, and more than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions come from urban areas. For human survival, "gold and silver mountains" [8] are certainly important, but "lucid waters and lush mountains" are also vital components of a happy life for the people and are equally important. In the process of Chinese-path modernization, promoting the harmonious coexistence of urban development and the natural ecology is not only an inherent requirement for high-quality urban development but also an important part of meeting the people's needs for a better life. For example, Fuzhou connects public spaces with ecological resources to build urban forest trails, creating a national ecological civilization demonstration city where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. Chengdu persists in conducting "urban physical exams," coordinating the reduction of carbon, the mitigation of pollution, the expansion of greenery, and economic growth to build a "Park City" where mountains, waters, the city, and gardens merge. To practice the concept of the People's City and build People's Cities, we must completely, accurately, and comprehensively implement the New Development Philosophy, plan the layout of urban green development with systemic thinking, and properly handle the relationship between urban production/life and ecological environmental protection, improving both the quality of economic development and the quality of people’s lives.
Advancing the construction of People's Cities requires properly handling a series of relationships
The current and upcoming periods constitute the key phase for comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in "Basic Ideology for Doing a Good Job in Urban Work": "We must recognize, respect, and conform to the laws of urban development, correct the guiding ideology for urban development, and earnestly do a good job in urban work." The report to the 20th CPC National Congress proposed the urban construction goal of "building livable, resilient, and smart cities." The "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made important arrangements for "upholding the principle that the People's City is built by the people and for the people," proposing to "establish sustainable urban renewal models and policies/regulations, strengthen the construction of integrated underground pipe galleries and the renovation of old pipelines, and deepen actions to enhance urban safety and resilience." The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2024 proposed to "vigorously implement urban renewal" and "improve the level of modernized governance in mega-cities and super-cities." To implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and the Decision-making deployments of the CPC Central Committee, practice the concept of the People's City, and advance the construction of People's Cities, we must correctly handle a series of relationships.
The relationship between top-level design and grassroots exploration. Advancing the construction of People's Cities is a systemic and holistic project that requires systematic planning with overall consideration and holistic advancement within that planning. We must both grasp the laws of urban development, fully consider the common needs of the masses, and do a good job in overall urban deployment and top-level design to form urban construction plans that are holistic, innovative, and forward-looking; we must also integrate this with grassroots practice, respecting the actual conditions of different cities, combining theory with practice, and bridging history and reality to explore and form the unique characteristics of urban development in practice. We should grasp both the general and specific laws of urban development, emphasize the organic combination of universality and uniqueness, base efforts on a city's own historical depth and resource endowments, persist in adapting to local conditions, and actively explore urban development paths suited to their own characteristics.
The relationship between modernization and the inheritance and protection of history and culture. In the process of advancing the construction of People's Cities, it is necessary to coordinate the relationship between modernization and the inheritance and protection of history and culture, allowing urban history to merge with reality and the future, ensuring that cultural depth and historical roots are not lost during the modernization process. In urban planning and construction, one should apply “embroidery-style finesse" [9], using refined management and protective measures to strengthen the comprehensive protection of cultural resources. We must coordinate the relationship between urban renewal and cultural symbiosis, conduct comprehensive surveys of historical and cultural resources, and fully preserve those scenic spots and historical remains that embody the emotions of the people, ensuring that every historical site and every piece of cultural memory is continued. Simultaneously, we should deeply excavate the rich connotations of historical and cultural resources, strengthen the promotion and dissemination of characteristic cultural resources, and integrate the city's history and culture into the daily lives of the masses, so that urban residents have stories to tell and objects to behold, allowing historical culture to radiate new vitality in the New Era.
The relationship between concentrated development and dispersed development. In urban development, the concentration of population and resources in large cities can achieve efficient resource utilization and generate economies of scale. At the same time, the resource and environmental carrying capacity of a city cannot support the unlimited expansion and disordered concentration of urban scale. Dispersed development helps alleviate pressure on the city center and build a livable environment, but it also has drawbacks such as increased production costs and dispersed transportation. Therefore, we must coordinate the concentrated and dispersed development of cities, rationally determine the scope of city clusters and metropolitan areas, enhance the rationality of industrial division of labor among cities within clusters, and establish sound infrastructure and transportation networks to achieve complementary advantages. We should promote central cities within clusters and metropolitan areas to better radiate and drive the coordinated development of surrounding small and medium-sized cities, forming an urban spatial pattern with appropriate density, collaborative division of labor, and perfected functions, achieving the organic unity of efficiency, livability, and sustainable development.
The relationship between urban high-quality development and comprehensive rural revitalization. Integrated urban-rural development is an inevitable requirement of Chinese-path modernization. Only by incorporating the elimination of the urban-rural dual structure [10] into the overall layout of People's City construction can we give full play to the city’s advantages in resource integration and its role in radiating and driving development. This allows for the construction of an industrial system where urban and rural areas complement each other and develop in coordination, realizing the free two-way flow of factors, enhancing complementarity, and thereby achieving a benign interaction between comprehensive rural revitalization and urban high-quality development. Cities should play to their strengths in industrial foundations, scientific and technological power, and human resources to drive the development of rural areas; rural areas should also give full play to their own ecological advantages, cultural characteristics, and land resource potential to provide support such as ecological barriers, cultural nourishment, and agricultural product supply for cities, forming a benign development pattern of interdependence and mutual promotion between urban and rural areas.
(Affiliations: School of Applied Economics, Renmin University of China; Center for Research of Economic and Social Development in Central China, Nanchang University) Source: People's Daily, June 12, 2025, Page 9 Online Editor: Tong Xin