Digitalized Cities Coming Soon to China

Urban planners and government officials will be using digitalized information and network technology to ensure that China's cities are planned, constructed and administered in an efficient way that promotes sustainable development, said Lai Ming, director of the Ministry of Construction's Science and Technology Department.

"With digitalized information technology, local officials can make their decisions regarding urban planning, construction and administration on a more scientific and standardized basis," Lai said.

Lai's remarks came at a forum in Beijing on Saturday that was organized by the National Mayors Training Centre (NMTC) and China News Service (CNS).

The three-day forum attracted approximately 80 mayors and top municipal officials and representatives from more than 100 information technology enterprises in China.

"Our mayors and other top municipal officials are expected to have a greater and deeper understanding of the latest trends in scientific and technical developments," said Yu Zhengsheng, minister of construction.

"Then decision-makers can try to create a more favorable environment for information technology to embrace every aspect of urban life."

Nearly 31 per cent of China is urbanized, statistics indicate, and the nation's 668 cities contributed 65 per cent to China's gross domestic product last year. In the next 20 years, more than 1,000 cities are expected to emerge in China.

"Yet more urbanization doesn't simply mean an increase in the number of cities; it also means the improvement of municipal administration," Lai said.

Yet to many of the mayors and high-ranking municipal officials, the concept of a "digitalized city" was new.

"Though a totally new concept for many of us, I believe it represents a future trend," said Xu Zhaojun, vice-mayor of Jiamusi in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

"The key point for us now is to combine digitalization with our city's economic development in an appropriate manner," Xu said.

"We now have such national public data communication platforms like CHINANET and China Education and Research Network (CERNET), and we are also backed by many operating systems, databases and Geographic Information System (GIS) software products," Lai said.

"In addition, many scientific research centres, universities and even enterprises can act as our partners in this project with their system development and construction capabilities and experience in furthering industrialization," he said.

But Lai admitted some guidance in terms of "mature" digital technology is badly needed.

Creating digitalized cities in China will mean more than 8 million new jobs. China is expected to receive 47.4 billion yuan (US$5.7 billion) worth of direct benefit and 128.9 billion yuan (US$15.6 billion) indirectly for the digitalized city project, Lai said.

"And we anticipate a profound change in our urban lifestyle and sustainable urban development with this digitalized city project," he said. (China Daily)



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