China Reports Significant Progress in Housing Development and Urban Renewal During 14th Five-Year Plan

Introduction to China's Housing Initiatives

China has reported significant progress in addressing housing demands and advancing urban renewal during its 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). These efforts have aimed to enhance the living conditions for millions of its citizens, reflecting a commitment to improving public services and fostering high-quality development. The initiatives encompass the construction of new affordable housing, the redevelopment of urban villages, and extensive renovation of existing residential communities across the country.

Key Achievements in Affordable Housing and Urban Redevelopment

During the 2021-2025 period, China successfully built or raised over 11 million units of various government-subsidized housing, including those for the redevelopment of 'urban villages' and dilapidated residential areas. These efforts have directly benefited more than 30 million people. Furthermore, the country aimed to add 8.7 million government-subsidized rental housing units, with two-thirds of this target already delivered by the end of 2023. An official from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Pan Wei, stated in January 2022 that China planned to add 6.5 million government-subsidized rental homes in 40 key cities, intending to assist an estimated 13 million people in need of affordable housing.

Extensive Renovation of Old Residential Communities

A cornerstone of the urban renewal strategy has been the large-scale renovation of old residential compounds. Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong announced that more than 110 million Chinese people have benefited from these projects since 2021. Over 240,000 old residential communities across Chinese cities have undergone renovation during this period. The renovation efforts focused on communities built before the end of 2000, with a target of approximately 219,000 communities.

Enhancing Urban Living Environments

The renovation projects extended beyond structural improvements to include significant upgrades to urban infrastructure and public services. These enhancements have notably improved the quality of urban living environments. Key improvements include:

• Installation of 129,000 elevators.
• Creation of over 3.4 million parking spaces.
• Establishment of 64,000 new community service facilities for elderly care and childcare.
• Renewal of 840,000 kilometers of underground pipelines for water, gas, and heating.
• Development of over 18,000 pocket parks and 25,000 kilometers of urban greenways.

These comprehensive upgrades underscore China's commitment to meeting the basic and improved housing needs of its population, as articulated by Minister Ni Hong, who stated, 'We will promote the building of quality homes that are safe, comfortable, eco-friendly and smart, continuously meeting the basic and improved housing needs of the people.'