Beijing issues the Special Plan for the Garden City (Part 1)

▲ The photo shows the tourists admiring white magnolias in full bloom at the Summer Palace in Beijing. [China Daily/Jiang Dong]

To promote high-quality urban development and increase the people's sense of gain and happiness, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, in conjunction with the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Landscape Architecture and Greening, has organized the preparation of the Special Plan for Beijing's Garden City (2023-2035) and officially issued it. This plan includes development objectives, planning principles, spatial patterns, natural element management strategies, and other relevant planning contents. 

1. Strategic positioning.

1.1 A demonstration zone of Chinese modernization featuring harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

Adhere to the principles of respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature, preserving the natural landscape, inheriting traditional Chinese wisdom of urban construction, coordinating the intrinsic connections between production, living, and ecological spaces, and promoting a green transformation in development. And dedicate efforts to establishing Beijing as a demonstration zone of Chinese modernization where humanity and nature coexist harmoniously.

1.2 An important chapter in the high-quality development of the major country’s capital.

Focusing on spatial integration, functional composition, coordinated management, etc., enhances urban governance, improves urban safety resilience and intelligence, and promotes coordinated urban-rural development. Support the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and comprehensively explore practical paths for high-quality development with harmonious integration of natural landscape, people, city, and industry, and strive to create a garden city that exemplifies an important chapter in the high-quality development of a major country’s capital.

1.3 A vivid practice of a harmonious and livable capital built, governed, and shared by the people.

By effectively mobilizing diverse social forces, forming a governance system with universal participation, guiding the creation of new garden living scenes, promoting green industry innovation, and enhancing the ecological civilization awareness of the whole society, and endeavor to transform the garden city into a vivid practice of a harmonious and livable capital city which is built, governed, and shared by the people.

2. Development Objectives.

To develop Beijing into a garden capital characterized by blue sky, clean water, lush forests, beautiful gardens, and a harmonious and livable environment, creating a model residential environment for a great nation's capital aiming for the second centenary goal. Promote the balanced development of urban-rural ecological environments, shape the distinctive landscape of a garden city, and establish a high-quality paradigm for the integrated development of people, cities, industries, and green spaces. Significantly enhance the ecological civilization awareness of citizens, and continuously improve public satisfaction. Taking the garden city construction as a guide to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

2.1 Development objectives for 2030.

The quality of the ecological environment will be further improved, the efficiency of green space services will be significantly enhanced, and prominent issues such as "urban ills" will be solved. The balance between safety resilience and environmental quality will be achieved, distinctive features will be initially demonstrated, and several construction practices will be implemented. Initial progress will be made in building a demonstration zone of Chinese modernization where humanity and nature coexist harmoniously. A new pattern of ecological coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will be basically formed.

2.2 Development objectives for 2035.

A garden city with blue sky, clean water, lush forests, beautiful gardens, and orderly and magnificent scenery will be completed. Significant progress will be made in resolving “urban ills”, achieving comprehensive integration of urban, industrial, and green spaces. People's lives will become more convenient, comfortable, and better overall. The overall pattern of ecological conservation and green development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will be established.

2.3 Development objectives for 2050.

Beijing will become a beautiful homeland characterized by prosperity, civilization, stability, harmony, and vitality. It will develop into a world-class city cluster with the capital at its core, featuring a good ecological environment, advanced economy and culture, and a harmonious and stable society. 

3. Planning Principles. 

Adhere to ecological priority, and achieve harmony between humanity and nature.

Adhere to integrating urban and green spaces, and promote high-quality urban development.

Adhere to a people-centered approach, and enhance public satisfaction.

Adhere to "dual use for peace and emergency," strengthen urban safety resilience.

Adhere to innovative development, and create rich garden scenarios.

Adhere to diverse participation, and build a platform for shared governance and co-construction.

Source:

<https://www.beijing.gov.cn/zhengce/zfwj/zfwj2016/szfwj/202404/W020240425644820814901.pdf>

<https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/FYjubt4oVGI-0xW5O5oCSQ>

Edited and Translated by Guo Xinxin