White paper offers solution to urbanization problems

UNESCO and CHIC Group released the White Paper on the UNESCO-CHIC Group (China) Biosphere Integrated Rural Urbanization Program on Oct 21 in Shanghai.

The white paper aims to provide solutions for integrated rural-urbanization, and narrow the gap between rural and urban areas. Based on the white paper, the two parties will carry out a project in Ba’nan, a district in west China's Chongqing city, and experiment with land release, residential permit reform and financial initiatives in rural-urban development.

According to the white paper, the investment will be $3 billion over 30 years.

The key to solving rural-urban disparity in China is a transfer of land-use rights, according to the white paper. Reform of the urban residential permit system is a complementary part of the solution, enabling farmers who have transferred their land use rights to move into an urban area if they wish.