The 2021 China Urban Forum 100 was held in Beijing on November 6 with the theme of Strategic Optimization of New Urbanization: Wisdom, Ecology and Humanity. Ding Zhongli, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress, hosted the opening ceremony while speeches were delivered by Hou Jianguo, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xie Fuzhan, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and Li Xiaohong, President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). Wu Liangyong, a founder of the forum and professor at Tsinghua University, also attended the forum, joined by more than 70 other participants including forum members as well as experts and scholars specialized in urban research from domestic universities and scientific research institutes.

Li said the latter stages of urbanization should focus on upgrading and innovating urban governance driven by S&T innovation, the transformation of urban development facilitated by green, low-carbon concepts, and the people-oriented quality improvement. Efforts should be made to promote high-quality urban development by exploring the path to sustainable solutions for carbon peaking and neutrality.

In the keynote speeches section hosted by CAE Vice President Wang Chen, dozens of experts including Wang Guangtao, Cai Fang, Li Xiaochao, Pan Jiaofeng and Wei Houkai deliberated on many subjects in urban renewal, such as population mobility, urban planning and governance, industrial systems and green development.

The forum also held a ceremony for the second Young Scholar Award, with Li, Hou and Xie presenting awards to laureates.

The forum, an urban-focused, non-profit, academic and multi-disciplinary exchange platform, is hosted by the CASS, CAS and CAE. This year it was organized by the CAE. Since its founding in 2014, it has become an authoritative think-tank platform to lead in theoretical innovation, serve government decision-making and promote China’s new urbanization drive by closely centering on major issues affecting the process.