Practicing the People-Centered City Concept in Urban Development during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period

The city is an important carrier of economic and social development and of people’s production and daily life. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC profoundly pointed out that “we must adhere to the principle that the people build and run the city for the people, and raise the standards of urban planning, construction, and governance.” This concept has charted the fundamental direction for China’s urban development and also provided the fundamental guidance for cities in formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan. The “1985–2000 Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy,” formulated under the leadership of Comrade Xi Jinping during his work in Xiamen, contains profound people-centeredness, foresight, systematicity, pragmatism, and consistency, offering important insights for the compilation of urban development plans. During the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan, we must grasp the historical initiative, adhere to the people-centered development thought, and concretely implement the people-centered city concept in the key areas of urban construction and development, making cities more livable, innovative, smart, green, humane, and resilient, so that the people can gain a greater sense of gain, happiness, and security in urban development.

城市是经济社会发展和人民生产生活的重要载体。党的二十大报告深刻指出“坚持人民城市人民建、人民城市为人民，提高城市规划、建设、治理水平”，这一理念为我国城市发展指明了根本方向，也为城市谋划“十五五”规划提供了根本遵循。习近平同志在厦门工作期间领导制定的《1985年—2000年厦门经济社会发展战略》，蕴藏着深刻的人民性、前瞻性、系统性、务实性、一贯性，对城市发展规划编制具有重要启示。“十五五”时期，必须把握历史主动，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，将人民城市理念切实落实到城市建设与发展的重点领域，让城市更加宜居、创新、智慧、绿色、人文、韧性，让人民群众在城市发展中拥有更多获得感、幸福感、安全感。

Practical Achievements of Urban Development during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period

“十四五”时期城市发展的实践成效

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China’s urban development closely adhered to the theme of high-quality development, achieving remarkable results in areas such as economic momentum, cultural heritage, livelihood security, governance systems, and ecological transformation.

“十四五”时期，我国城市发展紧扣高质量发展主题，在经济动能、文化传承、民生保障、治理体系、生态转型等领域取得显著成就。

Economic momentum achieved dual-wheel drive and industrial upgrading. China’s urban economy gradually built a momentum structure centered on innovation-driven and domestic demand-pulled growth. Total retail sales of consumer goods grew significantly, and the share of value added by producer services in the value added of the service sector increased substantially. Cities such as Shanghai and Chongqing, by building international consumption center cities, promoted the deep integration of commercial services and industrial layout, achieving a positive interaction between the extension of producer services to the high end of the value chain and the quality improvement of consumer services. The intensity of national R&D expenditure continued to increase, and the leading role of technological innovation in urban development was significantly enhanced.

经济动能实现双轮驱动与产业跃迁。我国城市经济逐步构建起以创新驱动和内需拉动为核心的动力格局。社会消费品零售总额显著增长，生产性服务业增加值占服务业增加值比重大幅提升。上海、重庆等城市通过建设国际消费中心城市，推动商业服务与产业布局深度融合，实现了生产性服务业向价值链高端延伸与生活性服务业品质提升的良性互动。全国研发经费投入强度持续提升，科技创新对城市发展的引领作用显著增强。

Cultural heritage and digitalization achieved historic breakthroughs. Urban cultural development formed a pattern that equally emphasizes protection, inheritance, and innovative development. A three-level management system for the protection and inheritance of urban and rural historical and cultural heritage was established, and the protection system for famous historical and cultural cities, towns, and villages was continuously improved. Digital twin neighborhoods and online cultural museums increased significantly. The widespread application of these innovative forms not only expanded the dissemination channels of traditional culture but also created a new paradigm of “living inheritance,” allowing the urban cultural context to be continued and promoted in the digital age.

文化传承与数字化实现历史性突破。城市文化发展形成了保护传承与创新发展并重的格局。建立城乡历史文化保护传承体系三级管理体制，历史文化名城名镇名村保护制度不断完善。数字孪生街区和线上文化博物馆显著增加，这些创新形式的广泛应用，不仅拓展了传统文化的传播路径，更创造了“活态传承”的新范式，让城市文脉在数字化时代得以延续和弘扬。

Livelihood security achieved quality improvement and efficiency enhancement. China’s urban livelihood security advanced deeply in the direction of precision and equalization. Community livelihood facilities, focusing on services for the elderly and young children (“一老一小”), achieved an embedded layout. Community-based elderly care service institutions and facilities, as well as childcare service institutions, grew significantly. The coverage rate of the “15-minute living circle” continued to increase, and the degree of equalization of basic public services such as elderly care, childcare, medical care, and education was constantly improved.

民生保障实现提质增效。我国城市民生保障向精准化、均衡化方向深度推进。以“一老一小”服务为重点的社区民生设施实现嵌入式布局，社区养老服务机构和设施以及婴幼儿照护服务机构显著增长。“15分钟生活圈”覆盖率持续提升，养老托育、医疗教育等基本公共服务均等化程度不断提高。

The governance system transformed towards smart and resilient governance. The level of modernization of urban governance in China was significantly enhanced, with smart and resilient governance becoming distinctive features of urban governance. Smart governance practices represented by the “city brain” built an urban intelligent hub of “perception–decision–response,” and smart city construction in many places achieved initial results. The widespread application of intelligent security technology greatly improved the precision of urban services and disaster defense capabilities. The integrated development of smart and resilient governance enables cities to maintain stable operation when facing complex environmental changes, providing citizens with a safer and more convenient living environment.

治理体系向智慧化与韧性化转型。我国城市治理现代化水平显著提升，智慧化与韧性化成为城市治理的鲜明特征。以“城市大脑”为代表的智能治理实践，构建起“感知—决策—响应”的城市智能中枢，多地智慧城市建设初显成效。智能安防技术的广泛应用，大幅提升了城市服务的精准度与灾害防御能力。智慧化与韧性化的融合发展，使城市在面对复杂环境变化时能够保持稳定运行，为市民提供更安全、更便捷的生活环境。

Ecological transformation steadily advanced towards green and low-carbon development. China’s urban development fully implemented the green development concept, achieving historic improvements in ecological and environmental quality. The full-cycle green transformation from planning and construction to management and operation achieved remarkable results. The implementation rate of national green building standards increased significantly, urban carbon emission intensity decreased markedly, and ecological and environmental quality improved significantly. The green development concept runs through the entire process of urban planning, construction, and management, optimizing the urban ecological foundation, promoting the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and laying a solid foundation for achieving the “dual carbon” goals [n1].

生态转型朝着绿色低碳方向稳步推进。我国城市发展全面贯彻绿色发展理念，生态环境质量实现历史性改善。从规划建设到管理运营的全周期绿色化转型成效显著，全国绿色建筑标准执行率大幅提高，城市碳排放强度显著下降，生态环境质量显著改善。绿色发展理念贯穿城市规划、建设、管理全过程，优化了城市生态基底，推动经济社会发展全面绿色转型，为实现“双碳”目标奠定了坚实基础。

Currently, China’s urban development faces a complex internal and external environment. Internationally, technological innovation is accelerating and iterating, and the intense competition in science and technology forces cities to strengthen their innovation source functions; the climate crisis makes green and low-carbon transformation a mandatory task. Domestically, the new type of urbanization is being deeply promoted, with population agglomeration in urban agglomerations coexisting with the hollowing out of some cities; the demand for industrial upgrading is urgent, but the proportion of traditional manufacturing remains high; and the protection of historical and culture faces challenges in the wave of commercialization. These structural contradictions are key pain points that urgently need to be broken through during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

当前我国城市发展面临复杂的内外环境。国际上，科技创新加速迭代，科技竞争白热化倒逼城市强化创新策源功能，气候危机推动绿色低碳转型成为必答题；国内新型城镇化深入推进，人口向城市群集聚与部分城市空心化并存，产业升级需求迫切但传统制造业占比仍高，历史文化保护在商业化浪潮中面临挑战。这些结构性矛盾是“十五五”时期亟须突破的关键痛点。

Coordinating Several Relationships in Urban Development during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period

统筹好“十五五”时期城市发展的若干关系

The 15th Five-Year Plan period is a crucial stage for China to comprehensively build a modern socialist country. As an important carrier of Chinese-path modernization, cities must not only cope with the uncertainty of the external environment but also activate the endogenous driving force of internal development. It is necessary to deeply understand, follow, and comply with the laws of urban development, and use dialectical thinking to solve development problems.

“十五五”时期是我国全面建设社会主义现代化国家的关键阶段，城市作为中国式现代化的重要载体，既要应对外部环境的不确定性，又要激活内部发展的内生动力，要深刻认识、遵循和顺应城市发展规律，以辩证思维破解发展难题。

Coordinate serving the national strategy with the city’s own development positioning. The national strategy plays a fundamentally guiding role in urban development. Deeply serving the national strategy can bring development opportunities such as infrastructure upgrades and industrial collaboration to cities, achieving the organic unity of national strategic goals and urban development demands. It is necessary to explore the establishment of a three-level transmission mechanism of “national strategy – urban positioning – implementation path,” formulate cross-regional coordinated development plans, deeply promote the interconnection of infrastructure, the shared construction and use of public services, and the joint protection and governance of the ecological environment, and realize the barrier-free cross-regional flow of elements such as talent, technology, and data. Build a two-way flow mechanism for urban and rural elements, guide urban capital to participate in agricultural industrialization projects; promote the sinking of high-quality resources through forms such as medical consortia, forming an industrial ecological chain that complements urban and rural areas.

统筹服务国家战略与城市自身发展定位。国家战略对城市发展具有根本性引领作用，深度服务国家战略能为城市带来基础设施升级、产业协作配套等发展机遇，实现国家战略目标与城市发展诉求的有机统一。要探索建立“国家战略—城市定位—实施路径”三级传导机制，编制跨区域协同发展规划，深入推进基础设施互联互通、公共服务共建共享及生态环境共保联治，实现人才、技术、数据等要素跨区域无障碍流动。构建城乡要素双向流动机制，引导城市资本参与农业产业化项目；通过医联体等形式推动优质资源下沉，形成城乡互补的产业生态链。

Coordinate long-term development goals with short-term growth. Urban development requires long-term sustainable goals to guide comprehensive economic, social, and environmental development, but in reality, it faces short-term economic growth pressures such as employment security and fiscal balance. This requires grasping the balance between “stability” and “progress” in the rhythm of urban development. Explore the construction of a dynamic adjustment mechanism of “goals – tasks – policies,” decomposing long-term sustainable development goals into phased indicators of the five-year plan. In terms of long-term development goals, explore the establishment of a “green GDP” accounting system, adopt a combined approach of “retention, renovation, and demolition” to promote the renovation of old residential communities, achieving the organic unity of short-term economic stability and long-term quality improvement.

统筹长期发展目标与短期增长。城市发展需要长期可持续目标引领经济社会环境全面发展，但现实中面临就业保障、财政平衡等短期经济增长压力，这要求在城市发展节奏上把握好“稳”与“进”的平衡。探索构建“目标—任务—政策”动态调整机制，将长期可持续发展目标分解为五年规划的阶段性指标。在长期发展目标方面，探索建立“绿色GDP”核算体系，采用“留改拆”并举方式推进老旧小区改造，实现短期经济稳定与长期品质提升的有机统一。

Coordinate promoting high-quality development with high-quality life. High-quality development is the primary task of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, and high-quality life is the ardent expectation of the people. This requires urban development to adhere to a people-centered approach, taking the comprehensive development of people as the starting point and ultimate goal. Developing new quality productive forces is the inherent requirement and important focus for promoting high-quality development. It is necessary to vigorously promote scientific and technological innovation, promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, transform and upgrade traditional industries, cultivate and strengthen emerging industries, layout and build future industries, and improve the modern industrial system. Build a virtuous cycle system of “development – people’s livelihood,” allocate education and medical facilities according to the “15-minute living circle” standard, promote the full coverage of “smart elderly care” communities; establish a dynamic adjustment mechanism for the “basic public service list,” implement the “renovation plan for aging-friendly old residential communities,” and simultaneously improve supporting functions such as community commerce and cultural activities.

统筹推动高质量发展与高品质生活。高质量发展是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的首要任务，高品质生活是人民群众的热切期盼，这要求城市发展必须坚持以人民为中心，将人的全面发展作为出发点和落脚点。发展新质生产力是推动高质量发展的内在要求和重要着力点，要大力推进科技创新，促进科技创新和产业创新深度融合，改造提升传统产业，培育壮大新兴产业，布局建设未来产业，完善现代化产业体系。构建“发展—民生”良性循环体系，按照“15分钟生活圈”标准配置教育医疗设施，推行“智慧养老”社区全覆盖；建立“基本公共服务清单”动态调整机制，实施“老旧小区适老化改造”计划，同步完善社区商业、文化活动等配套功能。

Coordinate urban digitalization with comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation. Digitalization enhances the efficiency of urban production, life, and governance through technological empowerment. Green and low-carbon transformation is the only way to address climate change and achieve sustainable development. This requires us to both enhance urban governance efficiency through digital transformation and promote the transformation of the development mode through green and low-carbon transformation. On the one hand, by building an urban digital foundation and creating a full-domain perception intelligent platform, promote “one-stop online processing” for government services and “unified management of urban operations” online, promoting high-efficiency governance; on the other hand, promote the transformation of the development mode through comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation, promote ultra-low energy consumption buildings and new energy vehicles, and build a green and low-carbon industrial system; carry out “urban double restoration” (ecological restoration, urban repair) actions, promote the construction of pocket parks and greenway networks, and create a green, development-oriented, and eco-friendly urban space.

统筹城市数字化与全面绿色低碳转型。数字化通过技术赋能提升城市生产生活和治理效率，绿色低碳转型是应对气候变化、实现可持续发展的必由之路，这要求我们既要以数字化转型提升城市治理效能，又要以绿色低碳转型推动发展方式变革。一方面通过建设城市数字底座、打造全域感知智能平台，推动政务服务“一网通办”、城市运行“一网统管”，推动高效能治理；另一方面以全面绿色低碳转型推动发展方式变革，推广超低能耗建筑、新能源交通工具，构建绿色低碳产业体系；开展“城市双修”（生态修复、城市修补）行动，推进口袋公园、绿道网络建设，打造绿色发展、生态友好的城市空间。

Coordinate urban organic renewal with the continuation and transmission of the urban cultural context. Urban organic renewal emphasizes gradual renewal on the basis of preserving the original fabric. Culture, as the soul of the city, plays an irreplaceable role in enhancing the city’s depth and shaping its distinctive image through the continuation of its cultural context. It is necessary to establish a full-chain mechanism of “cultural gene decoding – protection and utilization – innovative expression,” carry out a “city-wide survey of cultural genes,” and build a database of cultural elements such as historical buildings and traditional crafts; implement an “embroidering-style” renewal model, adopting “small-scale, gradual, micro-renovation” methods for historical districts, preserving the original street scale and architectural style; create “cultural and creative blocks,” promote the living transmission of traditional culture, develop “urban cultural IPs” to enhance cultural recognizability, so that the city, in the process of renewal, retains its “lived-in atmosphere” while radiating “new vitality.”

统筹城市有机更新与城市文脉延续传承。城市有机更新强调在保留原有肌理基础上的渐进式更新，文化作为城市的灵魂，其文脉延续对增强城市底蕴、塑造特色形象具有不可替代的作用。要建立“文化基因解码—保护利用—创新表达”全链条机制，开展“城市文化基因普查”，建立历史建筑、传统工艺等文化要素数据库；推行“绣花式”更新模式，对历史街区采用“小规模、渐进式、微改造”方式，保留原有街巷尺度和建筑风貌；打造“文化创意街区”，推动传统文化活态传承，开发“城市文化IP”增强文化辨识度，让城市在更新中既留住“烟火气”，又焕发“新活力”。

Coordinate the advancement of deep-level reform and high-level opening up. Reform is the key move to break down institutional and mechanistic obstacles and invigorate the market; opening up is the necessary path for urban development. This requires cities to use reform to break through development bottlenecks, use opening up to expand development space, and form a development pattern of internal and external linkage. Create an upgraded version of the reform to “streamline administration, delegate power, improve regulation, and upgrade services,” and build a smart government affairs platform; advance reforms for market-based allocation of production factors, establish market-based price formation mechanisms for factors such as talent and data, and promote intensive use of land. Build “pilot zones for institutional opening up,” benchmark against international rules, and conduct stress tests on intellectual property protection, competition policy, and other areas; enhance the capacity to allocate global resources, and build high-level open gateway hubs around strategic industries such as high-end equipment and artificial intelligence.

统筹推进深层次改革和高水平开放。改革是破除体制机制障碍、激发市场活力的关键一招，开放是城市发展的必由之路，这要求城市必须以改革破除发展瓶颈，以开放拓展发展空间，形成内外联动的发展格局。打造“放管服”改革升级版，建设智慧政务平台；推进要素市场化配置改革，建立人才、数据等要素价格市场化形成机制，促进土地集约利用。建设“制度型开放试验区”，对标国际规则，开展知识产权保护、竞争政策等压力测试；提升全球资源配置能力，围绕高端装备、人工智能等战略性产业，打造高水平开放门户枢纽。

Coordinate high-quality development with high-level security. Security is the prerequisite for development. This requires urban development to establish a holistic approach to national security, integrate the security concept throughout the entire development process, better coordinate development – the “primary task” – with national security – the “top priority” – and build a high-level, secure and resilient city. Implement plans for building, extending, supplementing, and strengthening industrial chains around key industries, and establish a supply chain emergency response mechanism; plan and build regional energy reserve centers to enhance the capacity to guarantee strategic resources such as electricity and natural gas; establish risk early-warning mechanisms in areas such as natural disasters and public health, promote full coverage of “smart security communities,” and build a three-dimensional crime prevention and control network; designate ecological protection red lines, build sponge cities, and improve the mechanism for integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts; cultivate social emergency response forces, and build a large-scale security governance pattern led by the government, coordinated by society, and participated in by the public.

统筹高质量发展和高水平安全。安全是发展的前提，要求城市发展必须树立总体国家安全观，将安全理念贯穿发展全过程，更好统筹发展这个“第一要务”与国家安全这个“头等大事”，建设高水平安全韧性城市。围绕重点产业实施建链、延链、补链、强链计划，建立供应链应急响应机制；布局建设区域能源储备中心，提升电力、燃气等战略资源保供能力；建立自然灾害、公共卫生等领域的风险预警机制，推动“智慧安防社区”全覆盖，构建社会治安立体防控网络；划定生态保护红线，建设海绵城市，健全山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理机制；培育社会应急力量，构建政府主导、社会协同、公众参与的大安全治理格局。

(Author: Deng Zhituan, Distinguished Research Fellow of the Shanghai Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and Researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者：邓智团，系上海市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特聘研究员、上海社会科学院研究员）

Online Editor: Tongxin

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