Guizhou adopts people-centered approach to urbanization

Guizhou's Longli county promotes the integrated development of urban and rural areas relying on its location and industrial advantages. [Photo/ddcpc website]

Southwest China's Guizhou province has been striving to accelerate modernization by expanding the scale of urban areas, boosting their economic development and improving their living environment since 2017.

The urbanization rate of permanent Guizhou residents increased from 46.02 percent in 2017 to 55 percent in 2021. Last year, Guizhou renovated 430,000 houses in shantytowns and 170,400 houses in old residential communities, and created 647,500 jobs in urban areas, a year-on-year increase of 5 percent.

City clusters in central Guizhou have been developing rapidly with the integration of Guiyang and Guian New Area, Zhongshan district and Shuicheng district, Qixingguan district and Dafang county, and Kaili city and Majiang county.

As a result, more people from rural areas are moving to urban areas, basic public services in urban areas have been improved, industries and cities have been further integrated, the development of Guizhou's nine national open and innovation platforms, provincial industrial parks and development zones have been accelerated, and Guizhou's industries are providing more job opportunities.

Major infrastructure such as roads, railways, water-electricity-power supply, sewage and garbage treatment, and internet has also been improved. Days with good and excellent air quality accounted for more than 99.4 percent in 2021 in areas above county level, and policies related to housing, land, investment, finance, education, medical treatment and social security were optimized.