China and UN-Habitat are seeking closer cooperation on urban regeneration, with an emphasis on sharing practical experience and improving residents' lives, officials said during meetings in Fuzhou and Shanghai.
Speaking at an expanded meeting of the Bureau of UN-Habitat's Executive Board in Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Sunday, Chen Shaowang, vice-minister of housing and urban-rural development, said China would advance urban renewal and build modern cities that better meet people's needs.
The meeting took place during the 2026 global observance of World Cities Day. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the New Urban Agenda, a United Nations framework for sustainable urban development.
Chen called for greater use of World Cities Day and the Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities — known as the Shanghai Award — to support the implementation of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda.
He also urged for stronger coordination among UN-Habitat's governing bodies, along with capacity building and experience sharing to support its strategic plan, saying closer cooperation should ensure that urban development benefits people more equitably.
Cooperation on urban regeneration was also a focus of talks between Mayor Zhu Zhongming and Anaclaudia Rossbach, UN under-secretary-general and executive director of UN-Habitat, in Shanghai on Monday.
Rossbach said Shanghai has accumulated extensive experience in urban regeneration and sustainable development. She also expressed interest in closer cooperation on urban regeneration and spatial planning to help more cities achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Zhu said Shanghai hoped to draw on UN-Habitat's expertise and technical resources to improve its spatial layout, quality of life, and urban governance. The mayor also called for wider use of the Shanghai Award, Shanghai Index, and Shanghai Manual as platforms and resources for exchanges among cities.
The partnership produced further knowledge-sharing resources on the same day, when the two sides jointly released the Chinese edition of the Shanghai Manual 2026, the 2026 Shanghai Index application report, and reports on thematic applications at a global conference on urban sustainable development in Shanghai.
According to UN-Habitat, the Shanghai Manual 2026 features case studies from the five cities that won this year's Shanghai Award, offering experiences that other cities can adapt to local conditions.
The accompanying index application report covers climate resilience, urban regeneration, urban governance, healthy cities, and innovation-driven cities, providing a further basis for exchanges on urban development.
