Chongqing to host key forum for Chinese cities

Mme Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, has confirmed she will attend the City Infrastructure Forum in Chongqing which will be hosted by Mayor Huang on 9 and 10 September. The forum is a first for China and will bring together officials from across the country to interact with international partners on the challenges and solutions for urban development in China.

Over 150 high level guests including Mayors from Africa and Latin America and the President of the Council of European Muncipalities and Regions will attend together with experts from the World Bank, UN and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. UCLG ASPAC is a strategic forum partner along with Cities Today and Peter Woods, UCLG ASPAC Ambassador, who will open the forum on behalf of the region’s biggest association of local governments.

Chongqing, a metropolis of 33 million people, has become the largest growth centre in China as growth moves from coastal areas to the central south-west region.

“Chongqing was relatively early in opening up to foreign trade but it was limited in scope by its location in inland China,” said Huang Qifan, Mayor of Chongqing, in an interview in the July issue of Cities Today. “In recent years, China has implemented a strategy to create complementary advantages for the opening up of inland and border areas and nowadays, Chongqing is receiving more than US$10 billion of foreign investment every year, among the highest of Chinese cities.”

C40 is looking to bring more Chinese cities into its membership and talks have begun with Chongqing. Yan Peng, C40 East Asia Regional Director, will moderate a key session at the forum on air and water quality in Chinese cities.

“Given that the forum theme is city infrastructure, it is crucial to present vision, approach, and best practice around how city infrastructure innovation will lead to lower emissions in both greenhouse gases and air pollutants,” said Peng.

There are limited delegate places available and a full programme and further information can be obtained by logging on to www.cities-forum.com or by contacting Conference Director Pippa Martin (pmartin@cities-forum.com)