The following article is from the Beijing Urban Renewal Alliance. Author: Alliance Secretariat

Information consolidates consensus, and consensus gathers strength. In the spring of 2023, as the whole city actively promoted urban renewal work, we welcomed the release of the 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper. The white paper comprehensively summarizes Beijing’s achievements in urban renewal, instilling confidence in society; it deeply analyzes the challenges faced by Beijing’s urban renewal, making the reform and innovation efforts more targeted. It also proposes future trends in Beijing’s urban renewal, encouraging widespread societal participation with clear goals.

The 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper release ceremony

On April 13, the release ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper was successfully held in Dinghao Building, Zhongguancun West District, Haidian District. Witnessing the ceremony were Wang Hao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Committee and Executive Deputy Director of the Municipal Urban Work Committee; Shi Xiaodong, Chief Planner of Beijing Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Committee and President of Beijing Planning Institute; Yue Li, Deputy District Chief of Haidian District; and Wang Lin, Deputy President of China Construction Bank Beijing Branch (rotating chairman unit of Beijing Urban Renewal Alliance). Relevant officials from municipal and district departments, representatives of the Beijing Urban Renewal Alliance, and over 30 mainstream media also attended the event.

The venue for the launch event of the 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper

The 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper was jointly compiled by the Beijing Urban Renewal Alliance, Beijing Urban Planning and Design Research Institute, and Jones Lang LaSalle under the guidance of the Beijing Municipal Urban Work Committee, the Municipal Housing and Urban-Rural Development Committee, and the Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Committee. It includes four parts: the overall situation of urban renewal in Beijing, a summary of Beijing’s urban renewal work in 2022, challenges and thoughts on urban renewal in Beijing, and future directions for urban renewal in the city. The white paper was briefly interpreted after the release ceremony.

2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper

The white paper analysis points out that urban renewal in Beijing differs from other cities as it is the renewal of a thousand-year-old capital, implementing the strategic positioning of the capital in the new era, urban renewal under a reduction background, and urban renewal to meet the needs of the people for a better life. Beijing attaches great importance to urban renewal work, led by the Municipal Urban Work Committee, with a special group for urban renewal and three working groups for implementation, planning policy, and financial support. Districts have also established corresponding organizational systems, forming a work pattern of municipal coordination, district-led, joint city-district efforts, and integrated management of various aspects.

The white paper summarizes Beijing’s achievements in urban renewal work in 2022. First, it continued to optimize the policy system, enacting the Beijing Urban Renewal Regulations and publishing specialized urban renewal plans. Second, it insisted on project-based advancement, coordinating various urban renewal projects and exploring paths suitable for the capital’s development. Third, it optimized the organizational implementation system, establishing a market-oriented urban renewal alliance, holding the first Urban Renewal Forum, conducting the best practices selection in urban renewal, and continuously attracting active participation from social capital.

The white paper provides an in-depth analysis of the current challenges faced by urban renewal in Beijing, such as difficulties in coordinating regional updates, balancing renewal funds, and integrating industrial resources. It proposes that urban renewal in Beijing should focus more on area-specific advancement, emphasize operational orientation, strengthen district-level coordination, and pay greater attention to the renewal of industrial parks. It also highlights the need for key advancements in innovative planning and land policies, optimization of construction management processes, and financial and tax support.

Additionally, the White Paper includes the selection of the best urban renewal projects in Beijing in 2022, a list of urban renewal policies in Beijing, and guides to renovation cases such as Liangma River International Waterfront, Dinghao Building, Nan Zhongzhou International Cultural and Technology Park, Go High Finance Center, and Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway Relics Park, fully showcasing Beijing’s achievements and experience in urban renewal.

The scene at the launch event of the 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper

The event also included a sharing and exchange session. The Haidian District Housing and Urban-Rural Development Committee shared the experiences and practices of urban renewal in Haidian District; the Chaoyang District Business Bureau shared the characteristics and effectiveness of the Liangma River Waterfront renewal in Chaoyang District; the Fangzhuang Subdistrict Office in Fengtai District shared its vision for promoting urban renewal and improving the quality of life services in large residential areas; the Sanlitun Subdistrict Office in Chaoyang District introduced six major projects for urban renewal around the Workers’ Stadium in the Sanlitun international business district; the Development and Construction Bureau of the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area shared a seven-step method for renewing inefficient industrial parks, covering project access, approval, investment promotion, operation, scheduling, evaluation, and rewards and penalties; the Dinghao Building project, where the press conference was held, shared experiences in inefficient building renewal, including precise positioning, project approval, planning and design, construction techniques, and industrial services; the Cushman & Wakefield Research Institute introduced the overall situation of Beijing’s building economy in the first quarter.

Wang Hao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Committee, spoke.

Wang Hao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Committee, further put forward requirements for Beijing’s urban renewal work, stressing the need to be guided by the overall urban planning of Beijing and the direction of promoting the development of the capital in the new era, adhering to the five interconnected development concepts and integrating into the new development pattern, taking larger steps in urban renewal.

First, it is necessary to implement the urban renewal regulations well. The regulations are a concentrated expression and legal clause of the achievements of urban renewal reform, reflecting Beijing’s reform thinking and innovation consciousness in urban renewal work. It’s important to strengthen the publicity of the regulations, encourage and support market entities, responsible planning teams, the Beijing Urban Renewal Alliance, and other industry self-regulatory organizations to participate actively and innovate boldly. Extensive research and good public relations are essential to understand the wishes and suggestions of the public, promoting a shift from updating because of necessity to updating by choice and creating a positive atmosphere of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing.

Second, continue to insist on project-driven, pilot-first approaches. Promote urban renewal with a green, low-carbon concept, combined with the construction of healthy, resilient cities, focusing on issues of urgent concern to the public, supplementing public services and infrastructure, improving living environments, and enhancing urban quality. Use projects as a lever to test and refine policies in practice, and as a method, expand successful pilots gradually, ensuring the formation of replicable and scalable experiences and models. Focus on the implementation of demonstration projects, further optimize and improve existing mechanisms, strengthen overall planning, close collaboration, enhance scheduling, and strive to solve difficulties, bottlenecks, and pain points in implementation, continuously exploring market-oriented paths.

Third, encourage the participation of multiple entities. Effectively reduce project time and financial costs, clearly define the rights and obligations of market entities, solve the initial capital issue, and attract market entity investments. Urban renewal is a long-term investment and requires patient capital. Continue to listen to corporate needs, unbind, reduce burdens, and empower businesses involved in urban renewal. Take advantage of the implementation of the regulations to accelerate the development of supporting policies, enhance policy accessibility and transparency, promote the creation of a low-profit, sustainable profit model, and encourage market entities to bravely and willingly invest in the new blue ocean of urban renewal, striving to explore a path of urban renewal suitable for the capital’s characteristics.

Source: Secretariat of Beijing Urban Renewal Alliance

Editors: Wu Jianhui, Li Wei, Han Jingwei