Chengdu, 14 August 2018-- The Second High-Level International Forum on Sustainable Urban Development was recently held in Chengdu, organized by UN-Habitat and China Center for Urban Development (CCUD), implemented by Chengdu Municipal People’s Government.

Mr. Yang Yu, Vice President of China Reform Daily and Special Commentator of China Central Television, served as the moderator during the opening ceremony.

UN-Habitat Executive Director Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, sent a video message for the opening speech during the opening ceremony. Mr. Naison D. Mutizwa-Mangiza, the Director of UN-Habitat Regional Office of Africa, gave a brief introduction of Ms. Sharif’s video.

Others who made opening remarks included Mr. Yao Sidan, Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr. Luo Qiang, Mayor of Chengdu, Mr. Peng Sen, Vice Chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee of the 12th National People's Congress and Former Vice Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Mr. Xu Lin, the Director-General of CCUD.

After the opening ceremony, Mr.Yang Weimin, Standing Committee Member, Deputy Director General of the Economic Affairs Committee of the 13th National Committee of the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Former Deputy Director General of the Office at the Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs, Mr. Bert Hofman, World Bank’s Country Director of China, Korea and Mongolia as well as Mr. Li Tie, Chairman and Chief Economist of CCUD delivered keynote speeches.

The launching ceremony of Guidelines on Pilots Cities of International Sustainable Development and the award ceremony of Children’s Painting: Cities Make Children Happier were held in the Forum. The session of High-level Dialogue, themed on Transformation and Opening Up-The Next Wave, was moderated by Mr. Yang Yu. A group of guests, including Mr. Mutizwa-Mangiza, Mr. Qiu Baoxing, Counselor of State Council, Former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and President of Chinese Society for Urban Studies; Ms. Zhao Baige, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 12th National People’s Congress and Chairman of Research and Development

International; Mr. Wang Zhongmin, Former Vice Chairman of National Council for Social Security Fund; Mr. Li Bin, Deputy Director General of Department of International Cooperation of National Development and Reform Commission; Mr. Xu Lin, Director General of CCUD and Mr. Xie Ruiwu, Executive Vice Mayor of Chengdu joined the dialogue as speakers.

Six panel dialogues on different themes were also conducted, including Foster New Economy and New Drivers through Innovation-driven Development, Enable Green Development through Low-Carbon Cities, Boost Coordinated Development through Urban Clusters, Advance Urban-rural Integration through Rural Vitalization, Revitalize Cities through Urban Regeneration and Improve Urban Quality by Creating Garden Cities. High-level policy makers, city managers, renowned experts and scholars, as well as entrepreneurs and media elites at home and abroad have engaged in discussion on such issues as urban regeneration, green and low-carbon development and rural revitalization. In doing so, they bridged the platform for international communication and promoted practical cooperation among all sides.

The First International Urban Sustainable Development Expo. was also held during the Forum, UN-Habitat exhibited its mission and vision, the focused areas, awards and publications with the Sustainable Development Goals11, and the UN-Habitat in China.

A total of around 100 international guests from governments, institutions and enterprises from some 30 countries attended the Forum.