China outlines major tasks on urbanization, urban-rural development

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 18, 2022 shows a relocation site for poverty alleviation in Xingye County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

China's top economic planner has unveiled major tasks in promoting new urbanization and integrated urban-rural development in 2022, vowing to deepen reform of the household registration system and help migrant workers better integrate into cities.

In deepening reform of the household registration system, cities with a permanent resident population under 3 million should remove all limits on household registration, according to the plan released by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The renovation of old urban communities will be accelerated, as the country aims to improve the basic living conditions of 8.4 million households in 2022, according to the plan.

The supply of government-subsidized housing will be increased, with a focus on addressing the concerns of new arrivals and young people in big cities, the plan says.

China's urbanization rate of permanent residence hit 64.72 percent in 2021, said the NDRC. The country aims to raise its urbanization rate to 65 percent during the 2021-2025 period, according to the 14th Five-Year Plan.