China's Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development: Permanent Urbanization Rate Reached 67% by End of 2024

On May 20, the State Council Information Office held a press conference on the Guiding Opinions on Sustaining Urban Renewal Initiatives. Qin Haixiang, Vice Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, announced at the conference that by the end of 2024, China’s permanent population urbanization rate had reached 67%, with 940 million people living in urban areas. The comprehensive carrying capacity of cities has steadily improved, the living environment has continuously enhanced, and both the quality of urban development and people’s living standards have significantly increased.

Qin Haixiang noted that China’s urban development has now shifted from large-scale incremental construction to a focus on both stock quality upgrading and incremental structural adjustment, entering a critical period of urban renewal. People’s needs have evolved from "availability" to "quality." Implementing urban renewal initiatives aims to advance urban structural optimization, functional perfection, cultural heritage preservation, and quality enhancement, thereby promoting high-quality urban development. At the same time, such initiatives can effectively stimulate investment and consumption, expand domestic demand, and continuously meet people’s aspirations for a better life, holding great significance for boosting economic growth and further safeguarding and improving people’s livelihoods.