On the track towards the global sustainable development benchmark city, Shi Nan witnessed Fuzhou’s efforts to this end, and accompanied the city to grow continuously. "Fuzhou won the global sustainable development city award, which is the best interpretation of its long-term adherence to the concept of sustainable development and people first. Entering a new starting point and a new journey, we should give full play to the unique advantages of its mountains, seas and cities, so that the ‘Fuzhou Model’ will continue to shine on the international stage and promote the building of a community of human destiny.” Talking about the expectations of Fuzhou, the urban planning expert and the mayor think tank expert said.

Thought

Do a good job in urban planning with people as the center

Does China have its own urban planning discipline? Why should we do a good job in urban planning? How to do a good job in urban planning?

Last month, Shi Nan came to Fuzhou to attend the first working meeting of the mayor’s think tank expert committee and shared his unique views on urban planning.

Urban planning is the “charter” of urban governance. Looking back on the development of China’s urban planning, we can learn from the Soviet model to establish the urban planning system under the planned economy system in the 1950s, and learn from the experience of western developed countries in an all-round way after the reform and opening up to promote the development of urbanization.

“China’s urban planning is from imitation, learning, introduction and absorption, and gradually moves towards self-reliance.” Shi Nan said that with the development of cities, it is not enough to rely solely on the urban planning theories of western developed countries. China should build an urban planning discipline with China characteristics, China style and China style.

“When it comes to ‘urban planning’, we often understand it as ‘urban planning work’. Personally, I think this expression should be further considered.” Talking about this important topic, Shi Nan believes that in the context of promoting Chinese modernization, realizing governance modernization and leading sustainable development with planning, the word “urban planning” needs a brand-new interpretation of the times. It is not only an arrangement at the working level, but also a very important cause of the party and the country.

In Shi Nan’s view, urban planning has played an irreplaceable role in ensuring the sustainable development of the city and leading the healthy development of urbanization. It must be regarded as an important starting point for the party to do a good job in urban work and a plan for the people, not just a departmental planning function or a professional planning.

In the context of governance modernization, what kind of urban planning can guide the course of urban development?

“The city is the people’s city, and the people’s city is for the people”. When talking about the core concept of urban planning, Shi Nan always runs through the word “people”. He believes that urban planning has never been an independent and complete technical document, and it must serve the social needs and ruling ideas, take the people as the center and focus on the people’s needs. “The city government should change from ‘rowing man’ to ‘steering man’, manage city affairs well with the market, enterprises and citizens, assume social responsibilities, and improve people’s sense of gain, happiness and security.”

The concept of “urban planning+” has also been mentioned by him many times. “It is necessary to rationalize the logic of urban planning, construction and governance, and jointly do a good job in urban planning through the diversified participation of the government, enterprises and the people.”

“Our people love life and look forward to better education, more stable jobs, more satisfactory income, more reliable social security, higher level of medical and health services, more comfortable living conditions and a more beautiful environment. They look forward to children growing up better, working better and living better. The people’s yearning for a better life is our goal.”

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s summary of “people’s expectation” is always in Shi Nan’s mind. Talking about the concrete practice of urban planning, he also put forward his own views.

“It is necessary to return to the basic attribute of ‘people’s city’ and make scientific plans according to local conditions according to the development law of human settlements and scientific research results.” Shi Nan said that in practice, urban planning also needs to properly handle issues such as development and security, historical inheritance, economic growth, and improvement of people’s livelihood in order to achieve healthy and sustainable urban development.

Witness

A sustainable and happy city

As an expert of the international jury of the first global sustainable city award, Shi Nan “accompanied” Fuzhou in the whole process of winning the award, and there were many feelings in his heart, “Fuzhou, as the only award-winning city in China, represents the achievements made by more than 600 cities in China in the field of urban sustainable development, setting a benchmark for other cities around the world.”

In Shi Nan’s view, this award is an important gain for Fuzhou to find its own development orientation and take the road of sustainable development according to local conditions, which Fuzhou deserves well.

Shi Nan believes that the beautiful environment where mountains, water, people and cities complement each other, and the good tradition of respecting, protecting and rationally utilizing history and culture are the highlights of Fuzhou, which should be passed down well.

In the process of Fuzhou’s urban development, Shi Nan saw that the city can persist in innovation-driven, people-centered and never forget the pursuit of urban quality.

“As said in the reason for Fuzhou winning the prize, focusing on the sustainable development strategy of green economy and digital economy, innovating and implementing the urban water system management project, and building it into a green, low-carbon and eco-friendly ‘city of thousands of gardens’, these key elements have made the road to sustainable development of the city more and more practical.” Shi Nan said, among them, the four elements of economic vitality and urban prosperity, ecological construction and green development, urban safety and resilience development, and capacity building for sustainable development are the keys for Fuzhou to win the grand prize. “Fuzhou is outstanding in four fields, and its practice is both innovative and replicable.”

Create a digital economy, a marine economy, and a cultural tourism economy; Create high-quality urban space; Promote urban water system management and optimize water resources allocation; Strive to realize the harmonious coexistence of mountains, water, cities and people... “Immersed” in Fuzhou’s carefully drawn picture of sustainable development, Shi Nan is deeply touched.

He believes that Fuzhou adheres to the concept of harmonious symbiosis between mountains and rivers and people and cities, skillfully uses geographical advantages and handles the relationship between man and nature; From the protection of 3 Lanes and 7 Alleys to the activation and utilization of Yantai Mountain, all of which reflect the importance and cherish of historical and cultural heritage; for innovation, Fuzhou actively cultivates and develops new quality productivity; In terms of water system management, we have made great efforts.

“This city gives people the impression that it has history, culture and safety. People enjoy every moment in Fuzhou very much, so the blessed state is real.” Shi Nan said.

Hope

Form a “Fuzhou model” that can be replicated and popularized.

As the top of the first Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, how should Fuzhou move forward next? Shi Nan has his own thoughts.

Shi Nan said that during his work in Fuzhou, General Secretary Xi Jinping planned a long-term, concrete and distinct sustainable development strategy for Fuzhou. From a riverside city to a coastal city, from “greening Fuzhou” to “a city with thousands of gardens”, from “livable” to “being friendly all ages”, Fuzhou turned the ideal blueprint into a beautiful reality and interpreted the people-centered urban planning thought with practical actions.

In his view, Fuzhou, which won the prize, should take this opportunity to thoroughly implement the new urbanization construction with people as the core, take “everything for the people” as the fundamental starting point, further deepen the improvement of urban quality, and focus on the main directions of livable, resilient and intelligent cities, so as to integrate the concept of sustainable development into the whole process of urban planning, construction and governance, and make every effort to build a modern international city with sustainable development.

“Fuzhou is a city with international reputation. How to enhance international competitiveness through urban renewal and integrate into the international community is the next step.” Shi Nan pointed out that around the United Nations sustainable development goals, Fuzhou has achieved decisive results in many aspects. The issuance of the Action Plan for Building a Sustainable City in Fuzhou and the establishment of the Fuzhou Institute of Sustainable Development have made the pace of sustainable development of the city more stable, but there are still some areas with greater room for development.

In this regard, he gave suggestions: First, learn from the experience of Beijing, Hefei and other cities, and establish a municipal work (governance) committee to guide urban planning, construction and governance; Second, systematically evaluate the implementation of the 2030 sustainable development goals, evaluate the implementation of the United Nations sustainable development goals and the New Urban Agenda item by item, and study specific measures for localization to promote urban sustainable development at a higher level; Third, increase interaction and convergence with key issues of international concern; Fourth, learn from each other and make more friends.

Standing at a new starting point and a new journey, the urban planning expert who went to Fuzhou in both directions said, “I am very concerned about Fuzhou. I hope it can develop better and better. As an expert in the mayor’s think tank, I am also willing to spend more time studying the sustainable development samples of Fuzhou and pass on these valuable experiences to more cities.”

Shi Nan said that Fuzhou, as a pioneer city, will certainly be able to form a number of “Fuzhou model” that can be replicated and popularized in the process of “going global”. "I hope that the blessed state can play an active role in the international arena and promote the construction of a community of human destiny with the ‘Fuzhou Plan’ and ‘Fuzhou Example’ of sustainable development.”

Source: Fuzhou Daily