Recent data released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development shows that in the past year, urban renewal projects were launched in 10,000 old residential communities nationwide, exceeding the annual target by 10,000. Since the beginning of this year, the State Council's executive meetings and national video conferences on urban renewal deployment have successively studied, promoted, and implemented urban renewal efforts. Local governments have also intensified policy rollouts in this regard.

Multiple Points of Bloom: Urban Renewal and Quality Enhancement Accelerate

On sunny days, Aunt Gan, who lives in Jinhongyuan in Jinjiang District of Chengdu, loves to sit in the courtyard with her neighbors, basking in the sun while sitting on chairs. "The roads used to be bumpy and waterlogged when it rained, the corridors were pitch-dark with messy cables, and everyone wanted to move out," said Aunt Gan. "After the renovation, the buildings have been repainted, the hallways are tidy, and the rainwater and sewage systems are separated. Now, no one wants to leave." Over the years, Chengdu has continued to advance the urban renovation of old residential communities, with a total of [number] neighborhoods renovated throughout the year, an increase of [percentage]% compared to the previous year.

Across the country, many regions are accelerating the pace of urban renewal. Driving into the "Zhenru Realm" area of Shanghai's Putuo District, one finds a comprehensive mix of commercial complexes, office buildings, theaters, parks, and residential areas. Who would have thought that this was once the largest urban village in Shanghai's central urban area—Hongqi Village. "Urban renewal has not only improved the dilapidated appearance of urban villages but also facilitated industrial upgrading through transformation," said Gui Weijun, a former official of the Hongqi Village Committee. The area, once filled with numerous traditional primary markets, is now evolving into a hub for digital and technological innovation industries. Last year, Shanghai ramped up efforts to tackle the renovation of "two olds and one village," completing scattered old-town redevelopment projects covering 1.2 million square meters, finishing comprehensive renovations of old housing totaling 2.8 million square meters, and initiating 10 urban village renovation projects.

In Tianjin, various resource revitalization and renewal projects—including land, industrial, commercial, academic districts, transit-oriented developments, and historic architecture—are being advanced in a categorized manner. Currently, the city has reviewed and tendered urban renewal projects, with developments such as the Xiannong Grand Courtyard and the First Machine Tool Plant already underway. According to data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, urban village renovation expanded to multiple cities in the year, with projects implemented and dilapidated urban housing units (rooms) renovated.

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.

"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 a key aspect of urban renewal. In Shanghai, the Panlong Tiandi commercial district, transformed from an urban village, integrates historical context with new functions into the fabric of the ancient town, continuously evolving to embrace change. According to an official from the Shanghai Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission, the city is actively revitalizing underutilized land, implementing regional renewal projects to achieve dual improvements in high-quality development and quality of life.

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 innovatively exploring 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 repurposing existing buildings to develop new industries and business models, enhancing public service functions. It permits temporary changes to building usage and establishes a positive and negative list for functional conversions, while maintaining the transition period for land use rights and purposes unchanged.

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.

An official from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development stated that it is necessary to establish a new model of urban management, improve the "one committee, one office, one platform" mechanism, integrate urban management into grassroots governance, create a new smart and efficient governance system, and enhance the scientific, refined, and intelligent level of urban management.