Translated by Claude, edited by Sinocism.com

Source: Xinhua | September 8, 2026

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8 — On September 8, the State Council held its 21st thematic study session on “advancing high-quality urban renewal and promoting intensive urban development.” Premier Li Qiang, chairing the session, stressed the need to thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on urban renewal and the relevant decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee; establish sustainable models for urban renewal; optimize urban structure, improve functions, carry forward cultural heritage, and raise quality; and better meet people's needs for a better life through high-quality urban development.

新华社北京9月8日电　9月8日，国务院以“高质量推进城市更新、促进城市内涵式发展”为主题，进行第二十一次专题学习。国务院总理李强在主持学习时强调，要深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于城市更新工作的重要指示精神和党中央有关决策部署，建立可持续的城市更新模式，促进城市结构优化、功能完善、文脉赓续、品质提升，以城市高质量发展更好满足人民美好生活需要。

Yang Baojun, chairman of the Urban Planning Society of China, gave a presentation. Vice Premiers Ding Xuexiang and He Lifeng and State Councilor Wu Zhenglong delivered remarks.

中国城市规划学会理事长杨保军作讲解。国务院副总理丁薛祥、何立峰，国务委员吴政隆作交流发言。

After hearing the presentation and remarks, Li said China's new industrialization and urbanization have advanced substantially in recent years, while profound changes have occurred in demographics, growth drivers, the property market, and other areas. Urban development is accelerating its shift toward intensive development. Urban renewal has become an important lever for urban work at this stage, an important way to improve housing conditions and people's wellbeing, and an important vehicle for expanding domestic demand and accelerating the transition in growth drivers. China must continue deepening its understanding of the laws of urban development through practice, advance high-quality, people-centered urban renewal, and chart a new path of urban modernization with Chinese characteristics.

李强在听取讲解和交流发言后指出，这些年我国新型工业化、新型城镇化深入推进，人口形势、发展动能、房地产市场等发生深刻变化，城市发展加快转向内涵式发展，城市更新成为现阶段城市工作的重要抓手，成为改善居住条件、增进民生福祉的重要途径，成为扩大内需、加快动能转换的重要载体。要在实践中持续深化对城市发展规律的认识，坚持以人为本高质量推进城市更新，走出一条中国特色城市现代化新路子。

Li said the people-centered city philosophy must be fully practiced, with the people-centered development philosophy applied throughout urban renewal and embodied in concrete policies and actions. The best resources should be reserved for the people, with revitalized public spaces, service facilities, and ecological resources given priority for meeting livelihood needs. Resolving the people's urgent difficulties and concerns must come first: identify the most pressing weaknesses and take concrete measures to improve housing and living conditions. The practical substance of urban renewal must be understood accurately and all tasks fully implemented. Priority should be given to strengthening disaster prevention and mitigation, proactively guarding against floods, fires, earthquakes, and other disasters, and using the construction of the “six networks” as an opportunity to appropriately raise protection standards for critical infrastructure in major cities and disaster-prone areas. Livability and suitability for work should be improved by proceeding from real-life settings such as daily living, culture and recreation, schooling, medical care, and employment; coordinating renewal from housing and residential compounds to communities and urban districts; accelerating the transformation and upgrading of old neighborhoods and factory districts; actively introducing new industries and business formats; and comprehensively improving urban functions, quality, and vitality. Cities should also develop distinctive characters by leveraging the guiding role of urban design, protecting landscape patterns and historical culture, and preserving urban memory.

李强指出，要全面践行人民城市理念，把以人民为中心的发展思想贯彻到城市更新全过程，体现到具体政策和行动上。把最好的资源留给人民，将盘活改造的公共空间、服务设施、生态资源等优先用于满足民生需求。把解决群众急难愁盼摆在优先位置，找准亟需解决的短板问题，拿出实实在在举措改善居住生活条件。要准确把握城市更新的实践内涵，全面落实城市更新各项任务。突出增强防灾减灾能力，积极防范应对洪涝、火灾、地震等各类灾害，以“六张网”建设为契机合理提高重要城市和灾害多发地区关键基础设施设防标准。突出提高宜居宜业水平，从群众生活起居、文化休闲、就学就医就业等场景出发，统筹推进住房、小区、社区到城区的更新改造，加快老旧街区厂区转型升级，积极导入新产业新业态，全面提升城市功能品质和发展活力。突出塑造城市特色风貌，注重发挥城市设计的引领作用，保护好景观格局、历史文脉，传承好城市记忆。

Li stressed that urban renewal is a systems project requiring stronger overall coordination and a powerful combined effort. Government investment should be increased; factor and resource safeguards strengthened; all forms of policy funding coordinated and used well; fiscal and financial coordination reinforced; and major projects advanced. Market forces should play a greater role through stronger credit support, improved financial instruments such as urban-renewal funds, and a diversified, sustainable investment and financing system. The policy and institutional system should be improved more quickly, legal safeguards strengthened, and policies, laws, regulations, standards, and norms on planning, land use, taxation, finance, and other areas adjusted and optimized when appropriate according to the practical needs of urban renewal.

李强强调，城市更新是个系统工程，必须加强统筹协调，凝聚强大合力。要加大政府投入力度，加强要素资源保障，统筹用好各类政策性资金，强化财政金融协同，推动重大工程项目建设。要更好发挥市场力量作用，加强信贷支持，完善城市更新基金等金融工具，构建多元化可持续投融资体系。要加快完善政策制度体系，强化法治保障，根据城市更新的实践需要，适时调整优化规划、用地、财税、金融等方面的相关政策、法律法规和标准规范。