BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- China has launched a revised system to evaluate the health of its cities, placing a greater emphasis on the well-being of residents and the adaptability of urban planning, according to an official document released Friday.
The 2025 edition of the regulations on the city "health check" features a clear focus on a "people-centered approach."
New metrics in the evaluation system include the amount of farmland within and surrounding urban areas, aiming to bolster local food security initiatives like the "rice bag" and "vegetable basket" programs. The number of available water sources will also be a key indicator.
The regulations address practical aspects of urban life. The progress of upgrading aging gas pipeline networks and adherence to safety distances will be monitored, as will the provision of adequate parking spaces for electric bicycles, an increasingly popular mode of transportation in Chinese cities.
A significant change is the elevation of the "15-minute community life circle" concept to a mandatory evaluation for all cities. This assesses the accessibility of essential services within a short walk for residents, with specific checks on the coverage of primary and secondary schools, elderly care facilities, cultural and sports venues, healthcare centers, wet markets, and football fields within a 5 to 15-minute radius.
The new evaluation system will be linked to land supply plans starting this year, suggesting that a city’s performance in these "health checks" will increasingly influence future land allocation decisions.
Over the past few decades, China has experienced the world’s largest and fastest urbanization process, with its urbanization rate reaching 67 percent in 2024. This rapid transformation underscores the importance of effective urban planning and management.
Significant achievements in people-centered new urbanization have been made, with the average per capita living space for urban residents exceeding 40 square meters, the average per capita park green space approaching 16 square meters, and the total operational length of urban rail transit surpassing 10,000 km.
Building toward livable, resilient, and smart cities, China introduced the city "health check" system as a pilot program in 2018. This initiative began full implementation in all prefecture-level and higher-tier cities in 2024, focusing on addressing both immediate public concerns and long-term urban development needs.
Just as people need regular checkups to stay healthy, cities also require regular physical examinations, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong has said. He added that "no examination, no renewal" has become the consensus for urban renewal work.
More than 290 prefecture-level cities nationwide have fully launched city physical examinations, said Ni. The country has a total of about 400 such cities.
On Thursday, the country unveiled a set of guidelines, pledging increased policy and financial support for urban renewal projects, which can range from gas pipe updates and lift installations to the renovation of disused factories into commercial zones.
China initiated over 60,000 urban renewal projects in 2024, with a total investment of 2.9 trillion yuan (about 402.8 billion U.S. dollars).
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0517/c90000-20316213.html