Cities should be bigger and smarter, say experts

Chinese policymakers wish to bring more people into cities, to accelerate the second phase of the national urbanization campaign under the "2020 goal", which will be a key driver of the economic growth in the long term, according to experts.

Different from the first phase, which progressed rapidly between 2000 and 2016, the upgraded urbanization model will focus on people, as well as the balance between the environment and the economy. Large urban clusters will also play crucial roles in accelerating the transformation, Zhou Muzhi, head of Cloud River Urban Research Institute, a leading think tank for city planning, told China Daily in an interview.

"Developing metropolitan areas will support the urbanization process, which requires cities to further open up, and shift their functions from manufacturing-oriented development to high-quality services. Some key areas include information technology and the knowledge-based economy," he said.