Urban Planning in China - Current Policy

Current Policy

Urban planning was given extensive attention post-1949 until 1958 when the focus was shifted elsewhere. During 1979, formal urban planning efforts in China were restored and promoted due to the adoption of reform and open policy. Increased social and economic construction projects in conjunction with high levels of urbanization, urban revitalization and renewal projects have permitted urban planning strategies, regulations and concepts to become more widely understood and accepted. Currently, urban planning in China is employed by the various levels of government to generate continuity and detail the implementation of the national economic plan, while the central government dominates the allocation of resources. Urban planning in China focuses to guide and comprehensively regulate urban construction to ensure the rational development, construction and implementation of the national economic plan that serves as the nation's master planning document. The central government has established a tiered planning and legal system to guide, implement and regulate urban development and construction in accordance with the national economic plan. Further, the development of the planning legal system and urban planning administration in China is considered to be "achieving continuous progress" as amendments and enhancements to the urban planning system are made. The sustained growth of the Chinese economy and the number of cities and towns in China continues to rise "from 640 in 1995 to 660 in 2002, while organic towns rose from 17,00 to 20,600" with a total population reaching "502 million with an urbanization level of approximately 39.1%". To mirror such rapid urbanization rates, the quality of urban planning in China continues to increase as "corresponding plans are made in all cities", most towns and many villages with an aim to guide and facilitate land use and construction activities, while promoting economic and social development to improve the living conditions of urban and rural areas alike.