REGIONAL> Highlights
Experts call for joint effort in urban construction
By Zhu Chengpei and Zhang Xiaomin (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-09-23 18:12

Foreign and domestic planners called for joint effort to tackle problems concerning energy shortage and urban sprawl in construction in Dalian, the port city of Northeast China’s Liaoning province.

“City planners are facing the problems all over the world,” said Pierre Laconte, president of the International Society of City and Regional Planners Friday at the ongoing 44th ISOCARP Congress in the city.

“Chinese planning is facing new challenges after many years of economic growth,” Laconte said.

He told more than 1,600 participants of the China’s Annual National Planning Conference also held in the city that it is a good opportunity for the Chinese planners to join the world family.

“In the ISOCARP family, successful practices and experiences can be shared among its members from more than 70 countries,” said Laconte.

He said ISOCARP and UPSC can enjoy closer cooperation in the future in various aspects, such as holding seminars, carrying out common projects, and establishing advisory team to provide suggestions to decision makers.

The two parallel conferences are sponsored by the Urban Planning Society of China (UPSC), scheduled from Friday to next Monday.

Both of the conferences concern about the sustainable development of urban growth. Two hundred international urban planners from countries like Australia, Denmark, and Spain will approach the theme of “Urban growth without sprawl” at the ISOCARP congress.

According to Zou Deci, standing vice president of UPSC, a UPSC-ISOCARP joint session is arranged for the domestic planners and their international counterparts to exchange views on “comprehensive planning: a sustainable urban development strategy.”