China's renovation of old residential communities benefits 120 million people by end-2024

BEIJING -- China renovated 280,000 old residential communities from 2019 to 2024, benefiting more than 120 million people, Vice-Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Qin Haixiang said Tuesday.

The nationwide program has benefited 48 million households, Qin said at a State Council Information Office press conference on a set of guidelines regarding the country's urban renewal efforts.

The renovation program has upgraded 360,000 km of aging pipelines, added 3.87 million parking spaces, and constructed 78,000 community service facilities for elderly care and childcare, according to official data.

Local authorities have focused on addressing residents' most pressing concerns. They also implemented energy-efficiency renovations covering 446 million square meters of residential buildings nationwide.

Regions across China have also prioritized installing elevators in existing residential buildings as a key livelihood project. This initiative has particularly benefited the elderly and mobility-impaired.

"This allows elderly people with mobility difficulties and trouble navigating stairs to now conveniently go downstairs to enjoy sunshine and chat with longtime neighbors," Qin said. "This benefits their physical and mental health and has been widely welcomed by the communities."

By the end of 2024, China's urbanization rate reached 67 percent, with 940 million people living in urban areas, according to official data. The country is intensifying efforts to advance its urban renewal initiative as it strives to build livable, resilient and smart cities, and to bolster high-quality development.

In its latest push, China on May 15 unveiled a set of guidelines, pledging increased policy and financial support for urban renewal projects, which can range from gas pipe updates and lift installations to the renovation of old factories into commercial zones.

The guidelines, issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, are designed to achieve key progress in the country's urban renewal campaign by 2030. They also aim to improve safety conditions, enhance service efficiency, elevate living environments, develop business models, and preserve cultural heritage.

"We're working to improve utilization of existing resources by renovating old factories, inefficient buildings, and traditional commercial facilities," Qin noted.