THE EU-CHINA PARTNERSHIP ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION: “BETTER CITY BETTER LIFE”

"Leaders announced the establishment of the China-EU Partnership on Urbanisation, which aims at promoting exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of sustainable urban development. The two sides agreed to hold the first China-EU Mayors' Forum in 2012."

Premier WEN, President Barroso, President Van Rompuy, Joint Statement of the EU-China Summit, 14 February 2012, Beijing

The speed and scale of urban development in China is a phenomenon unprecedented in human history. On 12 January 2012, China’s National Bureau of Statistics announced that the Chinese urbanization level crossed the highly symbolic 50% threshold during the previous year. This mega-trend is far from over: according to some estimates, 350 million people will be added to China’s urban population by 2030.

This is both a major challenge and a unique opportunity, echoing the strategic objectives of economic rebalancing and a more qualitative, smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Managing the challenges of urbanisation is a key task if we move towards a "green growth" strategy, stressing the importance of efficient use of resources and protection of the environment while ensuring economic growth.

Prolonging Shanghai Expo’s “Better City Better Life” spirit for the years to come, the China-EU partnership on Sustainable Urbanisation will offer a natural framework for concerted actions, such as a new programme designed to assist Chinese mayors, and the creation of an annual EU-China Urban Forum from 2012 onwards. The political initiative should also constitute a platform for Member States to leverage their existing and future actions in the field of urbanisation in China.

Reference Documents

 

Cooperation at Central level

 

City Networking

Cities are becoming key players in the partnership between China and the EU. Wide experience of more than 700 twinnings between Chinese and European cities has been established during the past years Inventory of twinning agreements between Chinese and European Cities excel12book - 69 KB [69 KB] [69 KB]  
 
EU and China are developing city pairing under the urbanisation partnership. Co-operation agreements between 12 cities excel8book - 33 KB [33 KB] was signed during the EU-China Urbanisation Forum on 21st November 2013 to foster joint projects from low-energy buildings to clean mobility, integrated water and waste treatments to social inclusion and efficient public services.

  

Science and Innovation

 

Business and Finance Pillar

 

Culture and Civil Society

      Roundtable European Economic and Social Committee and China Economic and Social Council

      EU-China High Level Cultural Forum "Inventing Cities"27-28 October 2011,Beijing

      EU-China Youth Dialogue-Action plan on urbanisation defined in Chengdu,19-24 Feb 2012

      Understanding China programme roundtable, co-organised by Friends of Europe, EUROCHAMBRES and co-funded by the European Commission:

 

Other Speeches

 

The Partnership in the News

[Original in Chinese]《社会与公益》杂志2013年3月刊登“中欧城镇化合作与欧洲经验”系列文章
1. 城镇化发展的核心：人的城镇化——中欧城镇化合作与欧洲经验 pdf - 2 MB [2 MB]
2. 中国城镇化是一场深刻的社会变革（白丽） pdf - 263 KB [263 KB]
3. 卡兰默：发展中欧城镇化伙伴关系是必要的选择（耿竞） pdf - 525 KB [525 KB]
4. 弗朗索瓦•吉浦罗谈中国城镇化和中欧城镇化合作（奥迪尔•柯内特） pdf - 504 KB [504 KB]
5. 《中欧城镇化伙伴关系》是中欧城镇化合作的高附加值（每雯） pdf - 250 KB [250 KB]
6. 中欧城镇化与城镇发展的观察与思考（詹庆明） pdf - 629 KB [629 KB]
7. 注重细节与长远规划——中国应复制与改进欧洲城市规划与设计的途径（哈利•邓•哈托格） pdf - 633 KB [633 KB]
8. 中欧城镇化：不同的过去，相同的未来（帕斯卡琳•加柏莉） pdf - 536 KB [536 KB]
9. 2012年欧洲绿色首都——西班牙维多利亚市（伊尼戈•比尔巴鄂） pdf - 2 MB [2 MB]  

 

Friends of the EU-China Partnership on Urbanisation

 

European contacts 

In Brussels:
Mr Pedro Ballesteros
European Commission, DG Energy
Pedro.Ballesteros@ec.europa.eu

 

In Beijing:
Mr. Ignacio Asenjo
EU Delegation to China
ignacio.asenjo@eeas.europa.eu