The Original Theoretical Contributions of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Theory of the Modern People’s City

Cities are the centers of China’s economic, political, cultural, and social activities, occupying a pivotal position in the overall work of the Party and the state. The Central Urban Work Conference was held in Beijing from July 14 to 15. General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the conference and delivered an important speech, summarizing the achievements of China’s urban development since the New Era, analyzing the situation facing urban work, and clarifying the overall requirements, important principles, and key tasks for doing urban work well, thereby providing a fundamental guide for urban work on the new journey of the New Era. From the emphasis on “one respect, five overall plans” at the Central Urban Work Conference a decade ago to the emphasis on “one optimization, six constructions” at this Central Urban Work Conference, the thread of thought is both consistent and advancing with the times.

城市是我国经济、政治、文化、社会等方面活动的中心，在党和国家工作全局中具有举足轻重的地位。中央城市工作会议7月14日至15日在北京举行。习近平总书记出席会议并发表重要讲话，总结新时代以来我国城市发展成就，分析城市工作面临的形势，明确做好城市工作的总体要求、重要原则、重点任务，为进一步做好新时代新征程的城市工作提供了根本遵循。从十年前中央城市工作会议习近平总书记强调“一个尊重、五个统筹”，到这次中央城市工作会议强调“一个优化、六个建设”，思想脉络既一以贯之，又与时俱进。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly grasped the laws of China’s urban development under the new circumstances, put forward a series of important expositions on urban work, clarified the values and methodology of urban development, and scientifically answered major theoretical and practical questions such as for whom and by whom cities are developed, and what kind of cities to build and how to build them, achieving original breakthroughs in Marxist urban theory in the New Era. Currently, China is in a critical period of advancing the modernization of cities with Chinese characteristics. A profound grasp of the original theoretical contributions contained in these important expositions will help us construct an independent knowledge system for the theory of the modern people’s city, help us correctly understand the historical position of China’s urban development, accurately comprehend the target positioning of China’s urban development, deeply grasp the basic direction and reform ideas of urban work on the new journey of the New Era, more consciously and firmly implement the strategic deployments of the Party Central Committee for urban work, and build modern people’s cities with full confidence.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记深刻把握新形势下我国城市发展规律，围绕城市工作作出一系列重要论述，明确了城市发展的价值观和方法论，科学回答了城市发展为了谁、依靠谁以及建设什么样的城市、怎样建设城市等重大理论和实践问题，实现了马克思主义城市理论在新时代的原创性突破。当前，我国正处于推进中国特色城市现代化的关键时期，深刻把握这些重要论述所蕴含的原创性理论贡献，有利于我们构建现代化人民城市理论自主知识体系，有利于我们正确认识我国城市发展所处历史方位，准确理解我国城市发展的目标定位，深入把握新时代新征程城市工作的基本方向和改革思路，更加自觉坚定地贯彻落实党中央城市工作战略部署，满怀信心建设现代化人民城市。

Creatively Proposing the People’s City Concept, Clarifying the Basic Value Mainline of the Theory of the Modern People’s City

创造性提出人民城市理念，明确现代化人民城市理论的基本价值主线

The people’s city concept proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping is an original theoretical achievement formed on the basis of inheriting the Marxist theoretical critique of Western urban development and combining it with the practice of urban development under socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is a value reshaping and paradigm shift in urban theory based on drawing lessons from modern Western urban development theories.

习近平总书记提出的人民城市理念，是在继承马克思主义对西方城市发展批判的理论基础上，结合中国特色社会主义城市发展实践形成的原创性理论成果，是在借鉴西方现代城市发展理论基础上对城市理论的价值重塑与范式跃迁。

Looking at the basic trajectory of the development of urban theory, although Western urban studies have developed a large number of research topics, covering areas such as urbanization, urban spatial structure, urban ecology, and urban networks, they generally have three basic theoretical starting points: first, emphasizing the logic of capital behind urban development, focusing on the connection between urban development and the capitalist mode of production; second, emphasizing the structural inequalities existing in urban development, where urban space becomes an arena for the game between capital and various interest groups, with spatial differentiation and social exclusion among different groups being widespread; third, emphasizing that the inherent contradictions of the capitalist mode of production trigger a large number of crises in urban development, and economic globalization and social informatization further exacerbate the social consequences of these contradictions. Based on these basic theoretical viewpoints, Western urban theory has made a series of interpretations of the direction and path of urban development. However, at a deeper level, because Western urban theory implicitly contains the above basic theoretical orientations, when discussing the future path of urban development, it places more emphasis on power struggles based on multi-stakeholder games and forms of government-market-society relations characterized by tension and checks and balances, which further leads to conflict, competition, and zero-sum games becoming a norm in Western urban development.

从城市理论发展的基本脉络来看，西方城市研究虽然发展出了大量研究议题，涉及城市化、城市空间结构、城市生态、城市网络等领域，但总体上有三个基本理论基点：一是强调城市发展背后的资本逻辑，关注城市发展与资本主义生产方式之间的联系；二是强调城市发展中存在结构性的不平等，城市空间成为资本和各种利益群体博弈的场所，不同群体间的空间分异和社会排斥普遍存在；三是强调资本主义生产方式的内在矛盾引发城市发展的大量危机，经济全球化和社会信息化又进一步加剧了这些矛盾的社会后果。基于这些基本理论观点，西方城市理论对城市发展的方向与路径作出了系列阐释。但从深层次来看，由于西方城市理论暗含了上述基本理论取向，其在讨论城市发展未来道路时更强调基于多元博弈的权力斗争和具有张力与制衡特征的政府、市场、社会关系形态，这也进一步导致西方城市发展中冲突、竞争与零和博弈成为一种常态。

The concept of the people’s city proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping is fundamentally different from the basic stance held by Western urban theory. This important concept inherits the Marxist critique of the capitalist relations of production in Western cities, completely changes the starting point of traditional Western urban theory based on the dominant logic of capital and the conflicts between interest groups, and emphasizes putting people first, blazing a new path for the modernization of cities with Chinese characteristics. At the Central Urban Work Conference in 2015, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “To do urban work well, we must adapt to the new situation of urban work, the new requirements of reform and development, and the new expectations of the people, adhere to the people-centered development thought, and insist that the people’s city serves the people.” During an inspection in Shanghai in 2019, he proposed: “The people’s city is built by the people, and the people’s city serves the people.” At the 30th anniversary celebration of Pudong’s development and opening up in 2020, he again stressed: “We must uphold the principal position of the broad masses of the people in urban construction and development.” The recently held Central Urban Work Conference emphasized: “Conscientiously practice the people’s city concept” and “Transform the concept of urban development, placing more emphasis on putting people first.” A series of important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on the people’s city concept take people-centeredness as the basic value principle and methodological approach for urban development, emphasizing that cities are places where people live concentratedly, and urban construction must prioritize making cities livable and comfortable for the people, leaving the best resources for the people. The people’s city concept has, in multiple dimensions, set the value mainline and new development directions rich in theoretical growth points for the theory of the modern people’s city.

习近平总书记关于人民城市的理念，与西方城市理论所持有的基本立场有着本质区别。这一重要理念继承了马克思主义对西方城市资本主义生产关系的批判，彻底改变了以资本主导逻辑和利益群体间的矛盾冲突为基础的西方传统城市理论出发点，强调以人为本，走出一条中国特色城市现代化新路子。习近平总书记2015年在中央城市工作会议上强调“做好城市工作，要顺应城市工作新形势、改革发展新要求、人民群众新期待，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，坚持人民城市为人民”；2019年在上海考察时提出“人民城市人民建，人民城市为人民”；2020年在浦东开发开放30周年庆祝大会上再次强调“要坚持广大人民群众在城市建设和发展中的主体地位”；近日召开的中央城市工作会议强调“认真践行人民城市理念”“转变城市发展理念，更加注重以人为本”；等等。习近平总书记关于人民城市理念的一系列重要论述，把以人民为中心作为城市发展的基本价值遵循和思路方法，强调城市是人集中生活的地方，城市建设必须把让人民宜居安居放在首位，把最好的资源留给人民。人民城市理念在多个维度上为现代化人民城市理论标定了价值主线和极富理论增长点的新发展方向。

It places greater emphasis on the principal position of the people in urban development and construction, stressing that the masses of the people are both the subjects of urban construction and the subjects sharing the fruits of urban development. Guided by this value orientation, “whole-process people’s democracy” and “grassroots mass self-governance” have become important reform practices in the process of urban development. Continuously realizing the organic integration of “built by the people” and “serving the people” in urban development, and building an urban governance community where everyone participates, everyone takes responsibility, everyone contributes, and everyone shares, has become a unique portrayal and vivid picture of the development of the modern people’s city.

更注重城市发展和建设中的人民主体地位，强调人民群众是城市建设的主体和共享城市发展成果的主体。在这一价值导向指引下，“全过程人民民主”“基层群众自治”成为城市发展过程中重要的改革实践。不断在城市发展中实现“人民建”与“为人民”有机融合，构建人人参与、人人负责、人人奉献、人人共享的城市治理共同体，成为现代化人民城市发展的独特写照与生动画面。

It places greater emphasis on the fair and just allocation of public goods in urban development, which is also an important watershed distinguishing the theory of the modern people’s city from Western theories. For example, Western theory views urban space as an arena for power games, while the “people’s city” transforms it into a “public good,” emphasizing the achievement of fairness and justice in urban spatial allocation through broad participation and efficient consultation. In practice, China’s new round of urban renewal generally exhibits this characteristic, where urban governance departments determine the content and scope of urban renewal through extensive democratic consultation, better meeting the people’s aspirations for a better life.

更强调城市发展中公共物品的公平正义配置，这也是现代化人民城市理论区别于西方理论的重要分水岭。比如，西方理论将城市空间视为权力博弈的场所，而“人民城市”将其转化为“公共产品”，强调通过广泛参与和高效协商来实现城市空间配置的公平正义。在实践中，我国新一轮城市更新普遍具有这一特征，城市治理部门通过广泛民主协商来确定城市更新的内容与范围，更好满足人民群众对美好生活的向往。

It places greater emphasis on inclusiveness and sharing in urban development, stressing the search for the greatest common divisor of interests among the broadest masses of the people. This guides China’s urban development to pay more attention to building broad mechanisms for coordinating social interests, enhancing the comprehensive carrying capacity of cities for population and economic and social development, enabling different groups to develop through cooperation and mutually benefit through inclusiveness.

更重视城市发展中的包容与共享，强调在最广大人民群众中寻求利益最大公约数。这指引我国城市发展更注重构建广泛的社会利益协调机制，提高城市对人口和经济社会发展的综合承载能力，使不同群体可以在合作中发展、在包容中互相增益。

Forward-Looking Planning of New Ideas for Urban Development, Exploring a New Path for the Modernization of Cities with Chinese Characteristics

前瞻性谋划城市发展新思路，探索中国特色城市现代化新路子

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition on blazing a new path for the modernization of cities with Chinese characteristics, premised on respecting the laws of urban development, adheres to the people-centered development thought, profoundly grasps the orientation of connotative urban development, and has strategic guiding significance for comprehensively enhancing the driving force and vitality of urban development and systematically upgrading the development capacity of cities. In “The Basic Ideas for Doing Urban Work,” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Urban development is a natural historical process with its own laws” and “We must understand, respect, and follow the laws of urban development, correct the guiding ideology of urban development, and do urban work well.” Scientifically and objectively understanding the laws of urban development is an important prerequisite for forward-looking planning of urban development strategies. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has conducted a series of in-depth explanations of the laws of China’s urbanization, pointing out the special historical position of China’s urbanization, its distinctive features, and the development challenges it faces. It is precisely on the basis of this profound understanding of these laws that the Central Urban Work Conference held from July 14 to 15 clearly depicted a new path for the modernization of cities with Chinese characteristics. Compared with Western and China’s traditional urban development ideas, the “newness” of this reform idea is highlighted in the following dimensions.

习近平总书记关于走出一条中国特色城市现代化新路子的重要论述，以尊重城市发展规律为前提，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，深刻把握城市内涵式发展的取向，对于全面增强城市发展动力活力、系统提升城市发展能级具有战略性指导意义。习近平总书记在《做好城市工作的基本思路》中指出：“城市发展是一个自然历史过程，有其自身规律”“我们必须认识、尊重、顺应城市发展规律，端正城市发展指导思想，切实做好城市工作”。科学、客观地认识城市发展规律，是前瞻性谋划城市发展战略的重要前提。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记对我国城镇化规律进行了一系列深入阐释，指明了我国城镇化所处的特殊时代方位、具有的鲜明特征以及面对的发展挑战。正是建立在对这些规律深刻认识的基础上，7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议对中国特色城市现代化新路子作出了清晰描绘。相比于西方和我国传统的城市发展思路，这种改革思路的“新”凸显在以下维度。

Based on the “parallel” reform process, new goals for urban development are established. As early as 2013, in an important speech at the ninth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping keenly pointed out the new circumstances facing China’s modernization development, emphasizing that “Western developed countries underwent a ‘serial’ development process, with industrialization, urbanization, agricultural modernization, and informatization developing sequentially, taking over two hundred years to reach their current level. We must catch up from behind and recover the ‘lost two hundred years,’ which determines that China’s development must inevitably be a ‘parallel’ process, where industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization develop in an overlapping manner.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ninth Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee,” September 30, 2013. This “parallel” development process, as reflected in the urban development sphere, means that the reform issues that Western modern cities encountered one by one over a long historical process are now raised in a systematically integrated manner. The Central Urban Work Conference, held from July 14 to 15, proposed: “With the goal of building modern people’s cities that are innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, civilized, and smart,” and “vigorously promoting urban structural optimization, functional transformation, quality improvement, green transition, cultural heritage continuation, and governance enhancement, while firmly holding the bottom line of urban safety.” [2]2 “Communiqué of the Central Urban Work Conference,” July 15, 2025. The successful practice of these urban development goals will greatly benefit the people’s deep experience of urban development achievements and their avoidance of urban development risks.

基于“并联式”改革进程树立城市发展新目标。早在2013年，习近平总书记就在十八届中共中央政治局第九次集体学习的重要讲话中敏锐指出了我国现代化发展面临的新情况，强调“西方发达国家是一个‘串联式’的发展过程，工业化、城镇化、农业现代化、信息化顺序发展，发展到目前水平用了二百多年时间。我们要后来居上，把‘失去的二百年’找回来，决定了我国发展必然是一个‘并联式’的过程，工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化是叠加发展的”。这种“并联式”发展过程体现在城市发展领域，就是把西方现代城市在漫长发展历程中逐一遇到的改革议题以系统集成的方式整体提出。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议提出：“以建设创新、宜居、美丽、韧性、文明、智慧的现代化人民城市为目标”“大力推动城市结构优化、动能转换、品质提升、绿色转型、文脉赓续、治理增效，牢牢守住城市安全底线”。这些城市发展目标的成功实践，将为人民群众深刻感受城市发展成效、远离城市发展风险带来巨大助益。

Adapting to new circumstances, new ideas for the systemic transformation of urban development are formed. At the 2015 Central Urban Work Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically expounded that China’s urban development had entered a new development period. The Central Urban Work Conference, held from July 14 to 15, further proposed on this basis that “China’s urbanization is transitioning from a period of rapid growth to a period of stable development, and urban development is transitioning from a stage of large-scale incremental expansion to a stage primarily focused on improving the quality and efficiency of existing stock.” [3]3 Ibid. Facing the new development situation, “urban work must deeply grasp and proactively adapt to changes in the situation, transform urban development concepts to place greater emphasis on people-centeredness; transform urban development modes to place greater emphasis on intensive efficiency; transform urban development drivers to place greater emphasis on distinctive development; transform the focus of urban work to place greater emphasis on governance input; and transform urban work methods to place greater emphasis on overall coordination.” [4]4 Ibid. These “five transformations” mean that China’s urban development will enter a new development cycle of intensive reform, which will inevitably bring more dividends from urban reform and development and realize a new pattern of connotative development.

适应新情况形成城市发展系统转型的新思路。习近平总书记在2015年中央城市工作会议上对我国城市发展已经进入新的发展时期进行了系统阐述。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议，在此基础上进一步提出“我国城镇化正从快速增长期转向稳定发展期，城市发展正从大规模增量扩张阶段转向存量提质增效为主的阶段”。面对新发展形势，“城市工作要深刻把握、主动适应形势变化，转变城市发展理念，更加注重以人为本；转变城市发展方式，更加注重集约高效；转变城市发展动力，更加注重特色发展；转变城市工作重心，更加注重治理投入；转变城市工作方法，更加注重统筹协调”。这“五个转变”意味着我国城市发展将进入密集改革的新发展周期，也必将带来更多的城市改革发展红利和实现内涵式发展的新格局。

A new type of institutional guarantee system for the construction of modern people’s cities is built. To do urban work well, Party leadership must be strengthened and improved. The Central Urban Work Conference, held from July 14 to 15, pointed out: “To build modern people’s cities, the Party’s comprehensive leadership over urban work must be strengthened. It is necessary to further improve the leadership system and working mechanism, enhance the coordination of urban policies, and strengthen execution in all aspects. It is necessary to establish and practice a correct outlook on political performance, establish and improve a scientific urban development evaluation system, strengthen the quality and capacity building of urban work teams, and encourage the vast number of Party members and cadres to work hard, take initiative, and assume responsibility. It is necessary to adhere to seeking truth from facts and being pragmatic, and resolutely oppose formalism and bureaucracy.” [5]5 Ibid. These institutional guarantees are conducive to promoting systemic synergy among reforms in different areas of urban development through holistic thinking, and to better stimulating the endogenous motivation and vitality of urban builders, enabling them to better devote themselves to the reform process of high-quality urban development.

构建现代化人民城市建设的新型制度保障体系。做好城市工作，必须加强和改善党的领导。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议指出：“建设现代化人民城市，必须加强党对城市工作的全面领导。要进一步健全领导体制和工作机制，增强城市政策协同性，强化各方面执行力。要树立和践行正确政绩观，建立健全科学的城市发展评价体系，加强城市工作队伍素质和能力建设，激励广大党员干部干事创业、担当作为。要坚持实事求是、求真务实，坚决反对形式主义、官僚主义。”这些制度保障有利于以整体思维推动城市发展不同领域改革形成系统合力，有利于更好激发城市建设者的内生动力与活力，更好投身于城市高质量发展的改革进程之中。

Systemic reforms are laid out with a focus on the modernization of urban governance, achieving a balance between order and vitality in urban development.

着眼于城市治理现代化布局系统性改革，实现城市发展秩序与活力并举

Focusing on the modernization of urban governance, General Secretary Xi Jinping scientifically plans and systematically lays out reforms, enhancing the systemic governance capacity of cities from multiple dimensions. This helps to form the unique institutional advantages of China’s governance system in the new stage of economic and social development, ultimately achieving a dynamic balance between order and vitality in urban development. The Central Urban Work Conference, held from July 14 to 15, emphasized: “Transform the focus of urban work, placing greater emphasis on governance input.” [6]6 Ibid. The modernization of urban governance is an important component of advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. Since the New Era, with the rapid economic and social development of China, the social structure of cities has become increasingly complex and mobility has grown. At the same time, the rapid development of the platform economy and digital technology has profoundly changed the organization and operation modes of traditional society. Against this backdrop, orderly urban governance is facing unprecedented pressure. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the issue of urban governance and has proposed a systematic reform plan for the modernization of urban governance from multiple dimensions, effectively solving many governance problems commonly encountered in global urban development.

着眼于城市治理现代化，习近平总书记科学谋划、系统布局改革，从多个维度整体提升城市系统治理能力，有助于在经济社会发展新阶段形成我国治理体系的独特制度优势，最终实现城市发展中秩序与活力的动态平衡。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议强调：“转变城市工作重心，更加注重治理投入”。城市治理现代化是推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的重要内容。新时代以来，随着我国经济社会快速发展，城市社会结构日益复杂、流动性日趋增强，同时，平台经济和数字技术的快速发展也从深层次上改变了传统社会的组织和运行模式。在此背景下，城市有序治理正面临前所未有的压力。习近平总书记高度重视城市治理问题，从多个维度提出了城市治理现代化的系统性改革方案，有效破解了全球城市发展中普遍遇到的诸多治理难题。

Adhere to the leadership of Party building in grassroots governance. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized “building grassroots Party organizations into strong battle fortresses that effectively realize Party leadership” and “vigorously promoting Party building to lead grassroots governance,” [7]7 Xi Jinping, “Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC,” October 16, 2022. further clarifying that Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee for advancing the modernization of the grassroots governance system and governance capacity. Practice has proven that Party building leadership has become an important institutional arrangement for promoting collaborative governance among multiple actors in urban governance. Party organizations at all levels, using the Party building network, can build cross-organizational coordination mechanisms between different government departments and different governance actors, thereby achieving the goal of “holistic governance” in modern society through Party building leadership. In an increasingly open and pluralistic social context, using Party building leadership to shape a social governance community where everyone has responsibility, everyone fulfills their duty, and everyone shares the benefits has achieved remarkable results in solving urban governance problems. Facing the “mobile society” formed by the platform economy, network economy, and building economy in cities, Party organizations at all levels, through the coverage of Party building organizations and work, have constructed a new type of governance network relying on the Party building work network, effectively absorbing new employment groups to participate in urban governance. Urban governance must take strengthening grassroots Party building and consolidating the Party’s governing foundation as a red thread running through social governance and grassroots construction; this has become a key institutional guarantee of the “Chinese experience” in urban governance.

坚持党建引领基层治理。习近平总书记强调“把基层党组织建设成为有效实现党的领导的坚强战斗堡垒”“大力推进党建引领基层治理”，进一步明确了党的领导是推进基层治理体系和治理能力现代化的根本保证。实践证明，党建引领已成为城市治理中推动多方主体协同共治的重要制度安排。各级党组织运用党建网络，可以在不同政府部门之间、不同治理主体之间搭建跨组织协调的治理机制，从而以党建引领实现现代社会的“整体性治理”目标。在日益开放多元的社会背景下，以党建引领来塑造人人有责、人人尽责、人人享有的社会治理共同体，对于破解城市治理难题具有显著成效。面对城市中由平台经济、网络经济、楼宇经济形成的“流动社会”，各级党组织通过党建组织覆盖和工作覆盖，构建了依托党建工作网络的新型治理网络，有效吸纳新就业群体参与城市治理。城市治理要把加强基层党的建设、巩固党的执政基础作为贯穿社会治理和基层建设的一条红线，这已成为城市治理“中国经验”的关键制度保障。

Build a grassroots urban governance system with a downward shift in focus. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “If the grassroots are strong, the country is strong; if the grassroots are stable, the world is stable. We must do a good job of the foundational work of modernizing grassroots governance.” “The ‘last kilometer’ of urban governance lies in the community.” [8]8 Xi Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China’s urban governance system has promoted functional departments to “sink” to the front line, better providing public goods for the grassroots; improved the community governance system, resolving conflicts and disputes at the grassroots level and in their nascent state; and deeply stimulated the vitality of grassroots self-governance, achieving a positive interaction between government governance, social regulation, and resident self-governance. These reforms have effectively enhanced the ability of the grassroots governance system to resolve conflicts, build social order, and foster social identity, providing an important guarantee for the orderly operation of urban society.

打造重心下移的城市基层治理体系。习近平总书记指出：“基层强则国家强，基层安则天下安，必须抓好基层治理现代化这项基础性工作”“城市治理的‘最后一公里’就在社区”。党的十八大以来，我国城市治理体系推动职能部门“下沉”一线，更好为基层提供公共产品；健全社区治理体系，及时把矛盾纠纷化解在基层、化解在萌芽状态；深入激发基层自治活力，实现政府治理与社会调节、居民自治良性互动。这些改革有效提升了基层治理体系化解矛盾、构建社会秩序、促成社会认同的能力，为城市社会有序运行提供了重要保障。

Develop whole-process people’s democracy. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The people are the main body of Chinese-path modernization. Only by firmly relying on the people, respecting the people’s creative spirit, and pooling the wisdom and strength of all the people can we continuously advance Chinese-path modernization.” [9]9 The Central Urban Work Conference, held in Beijing on July 14–15, 2015, was a high-level meeting of the Chinese Communist Party and State Council that set out guiding principles for urban development in the New Era. Whole-process people’s democracy has rich and diverse forms of democracy, smooth and orderly democratic channels, and complete and reliable participation practices. It can not only effectively mobilize the people to give full play to their role as masters of the country but also help achieve effective social mobilization and orderly political participation. Practice has proven that whole-process people’s democracy plays an important role in reaching multi-party consensus and building social identity in urban governance, and is an important method for promoting the fair and just allocation of urban public goods.

发展全过程人民民主。习近平总书记指出：“人民是中国式现代化的主体，必须紧紧依靠人民，尊重人民创造精神，汇集全体人民的智慧和力量，才能推动中国式现代化不断向前发展。”全过程人民民主具有丰富多样的民主形式、畅通有序的民主渠道和完整可靠的参与实践，既能够有力调动广大人民发扬主人翁精神，也有助于实现有效的社会动员和有序的政治参与。实践证明，全过程人民民主对于城市治理中多方共识的达成和社会认同的构建都具有重要作用，是推动城市公共物品公平正义配置的重要方法。

Promoting the intelligent transformation of urban governance. The Central Urban Work Conference, held from July 14 to 15, deployed the key tasks of “one optimization and six constructions,” [9]9 The Central Urban Work Conference, held in Beijing on July 14–15, 2015, was a high-level meeting of the Chinese Communist Party and State Council that set out guiding principles for urban development in the New Era. of which “striving to build convenient and efficient smart cities” is one. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Urban management should be as meticulous as embroidering” and “we must not only be adept at using modern technological means to achieve intelligence, but also enhance the level of refinement through the care, patience, and ingenuity of embroidery, embroidering the quality and brand of the city.” Based on the concept of refined and intelligent urban governance, cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen have successively built intelligent governance platforms for “one-stop online processing” of urban public services and “unified network management” of urban administration, effectively enhancing the agile response and refined governance capacity of the urban governance system. In recent reforms, many cities have further explored the construction of digital government using new-generation digital technology and artificial intelligence, achieving a transformation of urban governance from labor-intensive to human-computer interactive, from experience-based judgment to data analysis, and from passive handling to proactive discovery. These reforms have gradually built an important foundation for the effective governance of the urban digital society, providing important governance support for the construction of a modern people’s city.

推动城市治理智能化转型。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议部署了“一个优化、六个建设”的重点任务，“着力建设便捷高效的智慧城市”是其中之一。习近平总书记强调：“城市管理应该像绣花一样精细”“既要善于运用现代科技手段实现智能化，又要通过绣花般的细心、耐心、巧心提高精细化水平，绣出城市的品质品牌”。基于精细化、智能化城市治理理念，北京、上海、杭州、深圳等城市纷纷打造城市公共服务“一网通办”、城市管理“一网统管”的智能化治理平台，有效提升了城市治理体系的敏捷反应和精细化治理能力。在最近的改革中，不少城市进一步探索以新一代数字技术和人工智能构建数字政府，实现城市治理由人力密集型向人机交互型转变，由经验判断型向数据分析型转变，由被动处置型向主动发现型转变。这些改革逐步构建了城市数字社会有效治理的重要基础，为现代化人民城市建设提供了重要治理支撑。

Strategically promoting integrated urban-rural development, achieving coordinated urban-rural development and common prosperity.

战略性推动城乡融合发展，实现城乡协调发展共同繁荣

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses and strategic measures on integrated urban-rural development, based on the new pattern of China’s urbanization, systematically answer the fundamental question of “how to achieve integration” between urban and rural areas in the New Era, pointing the direction for constructing a theory of integrated urban-rural development with Chinese characteristics. China’s urban-rural relations are deeply rooted in its long historical traditions and have distinct characteristics different from Western societies. Western urbanization is a kind of “uprooting” urbanization—influenced by the operating mechanisms of capitalism, it causes the rise of cities and the decline of villages. But for Chinese society, the harmony and unity, benign interaction between urban and rural areas has deep historical origins. Since reform and opening up, China has actively explored new paths for urbanization. General Secretary Xi Jinping has profound thoughts on the direction of China’s urban-rural relations, emphasizing: “In building a modern socialist country in all respects, we must build both prosperous cities and prosperous villages”; “We must recognize that towns and villages promote and coexist with each other. Whether we can handle urban-rural relations well concerns the overall situation of socialist modernization”; “From the beginning, we did not propose urbanization, but rather ‘townization’ [chengzhenhua], the purpose being to promote urban-rural integration.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, [10] General Secretary Xi Jinping, against the backdrop of rapid urban development and the swift flow of resources and labor to cities, has strategically put forward a series of new measures for integrated urban-rural development, continuously promoting coordinated urban-rural development and common prosperity.

习近平总书记关于城乡融合发展的重要论述和战略举措，立足我国城镇化发展新格局，系统回答了新时代城乡“何以融合”的根本问题，为构建中国特色的城乡融合发展理论指明了方向。我国的城乡关系深植于我国悠久的历史传统之中，具有不同于西方社会的显著特点。西方的城市化是一种“连根拔起”的城市化——受资本主义运行机制影响，造成城市崛起与乡村衰亡。但对于中国社会来说，城乡之间和合统一、良性互动具有深厚的历史渊源。改革开放以来，我国积极探寻城镇化新路径。习近平总书记对我国城乡关系的走向有着深刻的思考，强调“我们全面建设社会主义现代化国家，既要建设繁华的城市，也要建设繁荣的农村”“我们一定要认识到，城镇和乡村是互促互进、共生共存的。能否处理好城乡关系，关乎社会主义现代化建设全局”“我们一开始就没有提城市化，而是提城镇化，目的就是促进城乡融合”。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记在城市快速发展、资源和劳动力迅速向城市流动的时代背景下，战略性地提出了城乡融合发展的一系列新举措，不断推动城乡协调发展共同繁荣。

Promoting the urbanization construction with county seats as important carriers in a classified manner. The Central Urban Work Conference, held from July 14 to 15, proposed: “Promote the urbanization construction with county seats as important carriers in a classified manner.” County seats, as key links connecting cities and villages, are crucial for achieving equal access to basic public services in urban and rural areas and promoting the coordinated agglomeration and development of industries, playing an irreplaceable role in promoting integrated urban-rural development. In recent years, China has continuously used county seats as carriers to promote reforms for equalizing basic public services between urban and rural areas, leveraging the role of county seats in connecting cities and serving villages, and promoting the coordinated development of large, medium, and small cities and small towns. This reform measure has built an important support mechanism for integrated urban-rural development, conducive to promoting the mutual flow of population and resources between urban and rural areas in terms of spatial structure.

分类推进以县城为重要载体的城镇化建设。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议提出：“分类推进以县城为重要载体的城镇化建设”。县城作为连接城市与乡村的关键纽带，是实现城乡基本公共服务均等化、推动产业协同集聚发展的关键环节，对促进城乡融合发展起着不可替代的重要作用。近年来，我国不断以县城为载体促进城乡基本公共服务均等化改革，发挥县城连接城市、服务乡村作用，促进大中小城市和小城镇协调发展。这一改革举措为城乡融合发展构建了重要的支持机制，有利于在空间结构上促进城乡人口、资源相互流通。

Continuing to promote the citizenization of agricultural transfer population. The Central Urban Work Conference, held from July 14 to 15, proposed: “Continue to promote the citizenization of agricultural transfer population

继续推进农业转移人口市民化。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议提出：“继续推进农业转移人口市民化”。习近平总书记高度重视这一工作，强调“要完善土地、户籍、转移支付等配套政策，提高城市群承载能力，促进迁移人口稳定落户”“农民进城务工是个大趋势，要把该打开的‘城门’打开，促进农业转移人口市民化”。为持续推进农业转移人口市民化，《乡村全面振兴规划（2024—2027年）》明确提出“实施新一轮农业转移人口市民化行动”，旨在促进城乡要素自由流动，对缩小城乡差距、实现城乡融合发展具有重要作用。农业转移人口市民化是城镇化从“规模扩张”转向“质量提升”的关键，这一改革有助于促进土地、劳动力等要素在城乡间双向流动。近年来，我国各地不断深化户籍制度改革，增加基本公共服务供给、保障进城农民土地权益，持续探索农业转移人口市民化的改革举措，为城乡融合发展提供了重要的公共政策支持。

Promote the coordinated development of large, medium, and small cities as well as small towns. The Central Urban Work Conference held on July 14–15 proposed: "Promote the coordinated development of large, medium, and small cities as well as small towns, and promote the integrated development of urban and rural areas." [9]9 The Central Urban Work Conference, held in Beijing on July 14–15, 2015, was a high-level meeting of the Chinese Communist Party and State Council that set out guiding principles for urban development in the New Era. Forming a spatial pattern of urbanization with complementary functions and a division of labor can effectively prevent the coexistence of "big-city diseases" and "the decline of small towns." This reform measure drives the free flow and efficient allocation of factors between urban and rural areas, while also promoting the extension of urban industries into the countryside and enabling rural resources to provide deep support for urban development, thereby creating a new pattern of development in which urban and rural areas are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.

促进大中小城市和小城镇协调发展。7月14日至15日召开的中央城市工作会议提出：“促进大中小城市和小城镇协调发展，促进城乡融合发展”。形成功能互补、分工协作的城镇化空间格局，可以有效防止“大城市病”与“小城镇衰落”并存。这一改革举措推动要素在城乡之间自由流动、高效配置，同时也促进城市产业向乡村延伸、农村资源为城市发展提供深度支持，形成城乡之间相互依存、相互促进的新型发展格局。

The city is the carrier of civilization. On the new journey of the New Era, we must thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses on urban work, continuously explore new paths for urban modernization with Chinese characteristics, and vigorously build innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, civilized, and smart modern people's cities. This will allow us to write an "urban chapter" for advancing Chinese-path modernization and contribute "China's strength" to world urban development.

城市是文明的载体。新时代新征程，我们要深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于城市工作的重要论述，不断探索中国特色城市现代化新路子，大力建设创新、宜居、美丽、韧性、文明、智慧的现代化人民城市，为推进中国式现代化谱写“城市篇章”，为世界城市发展贡献“中国力量”。

(The author is a professor at the School of Sociology and Political Science, Shanghai University)

（作者为上海大学社会学院教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心