China initiates renovation projects at 25,800 urban residential communities from Jan-Nov

BEIJING -- China launched renovation projects at 25,800 old urban residential communities in the first 11 months of 2025, continuing efforts to make its cities more livable, official data showed on Thursday.

With 22 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps having met their renovation targets this year, the figure has surpassed the national annual goal of renovating 25,000 old urban residential communities, according to data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

The ministry will promote the renovation of old urban residential communities, the development of complete neighborhoods, the development of pocket parks, and the opening and sharing of green spaces, while improving the quality of barrier-free and elderly-friendly environments, an official said.

From 2019 to 2024, China launched renovation projects at approximately 280,000 old urban residential communities, benefiting more than 120 million people, per the data.

In July this year, the Central Urban Work Conference said that urban renewal should be an important lever to optimize urban structures, transform growth drivers, improve quality of life, advance green development, preserve cultural heritage, and enhance governance efficiency.