Chinese premier stresses role of urbanization in economy

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C), also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, chairs a symposium on promoting urbanization, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 16, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday highlighted the importance of "new-type urbanization" in the economy.

To maintain China's economy at a medium-to-high growth speed and upgrade it to the medium-to-high end, China must bring the "new-type urbanization" program, a strong engine, into full play, said Li at a meeting on urbanization.

In March, China's State Council unveiled the New-Type Urbanization Plan for the 2014-2020 period in an effort to steer the country's urbanization onto a human-centered and environmentally friendly path.

New-type urbanization can not only help narrow the rural-urban gap, promote agricultural modernization and increase farmers' production and income, but also help expand consumption, boost investment, spur new industries and unleash domestic demand potentials, Li said.

In pushing forward urbanization, different regions should adjust their policy measures to local conditions and new policies should be first implemented on a pilot basis, he said.

The premier also stressed the tasks of including hundreds of millions of migrant workers into urban housing and social security system, and accelerating the renovation of slums in cities.