China's urbanization can learn from abroad

BEIJING - China can learn from Western countries to develop well planned and sustainable urban communities.

European cities are characterized by beauty, efficiency and are "walkable"; all lessons for Chinese cities to learn, according Mats Harborn, vice president of European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.

Harborn made the remarks on Wednesday at a symposium on integration of urban and rural development hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"Beautiful cities are created for people, not for cars," he added.

China is pushing forward humane urbanization and just concluded an urbanization conference at the highest level ever convened.

A statement from the meeting promises expansion of forests, lakes and wetlands in urban areas and "to make mountains and rivers visible and let people remember the old times."

Citing the statement, Joern Beissert, a counsellor at the German Embassy in Beijing, said the Chinese government has made the decision to transform its often massive urbanization.

European countries could provide sustainable solutions with the highest efficiency, said Beissert.

Paolo Veneri, policy analyst with the OECD, said that the organization's research department may extend its study to China's urban-rural links to provide strategies and policy tools to manage effective urbanization.