The annual meeting of the Planning Exhibition Committee of China Urban Planning Association and the National Land and Spatial Planning Exchange Conference was convened in Chongqing from December 26 to 28, 2023. Themed “Innovation of Land and Spatial Planning Exhibition and Development of Planning Exhibition Venues in the New Era,” the event, hosted by the Department of Land Spatial Planning of the Ministry of Natural Resources and organized by Chongqing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, brought together 200 attendees including prominent figures such as Zhang Bing, Director General of the Department of Land Spatial Planning, and Tang Kai, President of the China Association of Urban Planning. Attendees represented various organizations and provinces, with the Beijing Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall elected as the vice director unit of the Planning Exhibition Committee. Zhao Xing, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall, delivered a keynote speech at the symposium.

During the symposium, Mr. Zhang Bing, Director General of the Land Spatial Planning Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, emphasized that the role of planning exhibition halls is to implement the Xi Jinping Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era. This involves firmly establishing the “four consciousnesses,” boosting “four self-confidences,” and achieving the “two safeguards.” The party’s leadership in the entire process of spatial planning preparation and implementation is crucial to the work of planning exhibition halls. In the new era of planning and exhibition, it is essential to unwaveringly implement the major decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and State Council regarding the reform of “multi-planning.” The focus should be on the innovative development of land and spatial planning, telling the story of China’s ecological civilization, publicizing the progress of planning in the new era, and showcasing the harmonious coexistence between man and nature in beautiful China.

Mr. Miao Ze, Deputy Director General of the Department of Land Spatial Planning of the Ministry of Natural Resources, delivered a keynote speech on the theme of “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era as the Guide for Land and Spatial Planning in the New Era”. Officials from the Land Spatial Planning Research Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, China Natural Resources Newspaper, China Geological Museum, and Chongqing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources delivered keynote speeches on “exhibition and exchange of land spatial planning in the new era”.

Zhao Xing, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall, shared insights on the capital’s planning exhibition with colleagues nationwide. Titled “Focusing on the Main Line of the Capital’s Planning Work: Telling the Planning Story of Capital Planning”, Zhao’s presentation traced the work undertaken since General Secretary Xi’s inspection trip to the hall in 2014. The speech highlighted the Beijing Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall’s decade-long efforts in publicizing major issues of capital planning, creating a collaborative platform for governance, and outlining the mission of the capital’s planning and exhibition in the new era. The presentation emphasized the unique nature of capital planning and the special role played by the exhibition work.

In addition, representatives from six planning exhibition venues from Tianjin, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Zhangjiagang, Changsha and Nanchang, as well as two exhibition design units from Shanghai and Shenzhen focused on exhibition empowering urban construction, building of a cultural city, the symbiosis between urban planning and contemporary art, the status quo of planning exhibition halls and new development ideas, public participation as well as innovative practices related to planning exhibition halls.

During the conference, two thematic events were held featuring “National Achievement Exhibition of Reform and Development of Land Spatial Planning” and “Special Exhibition of National Planning Exhibition Hall”. Additionally, the symposium on the development of national planning exhibition halls and the final round of the National Planning Presentation Competition, were held in the Chongqing Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall. In the future, the “National Achievement Exhibition of Reform and Development of Lad Spatial Planning” will also be held in 22 key urban planning exhibition halls across the country.

As a next step, the Beijing Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall will actively summarize the experience learned from the exchange meeting, make full use of its status as the deputy director unit of the specialized committee to strengthen communication and mutual learning with the industry. The Beijing Municipal Planning Exhibition Hall will further focus on the high-quality development needs of the capital’s planning and natural resource work in the new era, address the innovative development requirements of the industry, make every effort to enhance the quality of the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall and its operational work. It will closely align with the main direction of the capital’s planning work, and tell the planning story of the capital city in the new era.