On the afternoon of August 21st, the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning and Design organized an expert consultation meeting for the Beijing Urban Garden Section Planning. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Shi Xiaodong, member of the Party Leadership Group of Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Chief Planner (concurrently) of Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, and Party Secretary and President of the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning and Design. Four experts attended the meeting, including Mr. Yang Weimin, Vice Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and former Deputy Director-General of the Economic Ecology Group of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs, Mr. Shi Nan, Vice Chairman of the International Society of City and Regional Planners and Executive Vice-President and Secretary-General of the Urban Planning Society of China, Mr. Gu Chaolin, Professor at Tsinghua University's School of Architecture, Vice Chairman of the Geographical Society of China, and Executive Council Member of the Urban Planning Society of China, and Mr. Li Guoping, Vice Dean of the School of Government at Peking University and Director of the Beijing Development Institute at Peking University. The meeting was also attended by Mr. He Qin, Vice President of the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning and Design, heads of relevant departments from the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources and the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning and Design (hereafter referred to as “the Institute”), as well as members of the working group from the Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Landscape and Forestry Science, and the Institute.

During the meeting, Mr. Shi Xiaodong first introduced the background of the planning project, which aims to build Beijing into a garden city. He then elaborated on the relationship between the Beijing Urban Garden Section Planning, the comprehensive governance of the city, and Beijing's strategic positioning, which proposes the city as the national political center and center of culture, international exchanges, and science and innovation. The research team from the Institute then reported on the preliminary work of the Beijing Urban Garden Section Planning. The experts applauded the preliminary work and engaged in discussions from various perspectives, including ecological civilization, economic development, social equity, and collaborative governance, providing valuable recommendations.

The experts emphasized that the construction of a garden city should align with the broader strategy of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional development, and match Beijing's positioning as the national political center and center of culture, international exchanges, and science and innovation. Meanwhile, the planning should be consistent with the concept of ecological civilization with a focus on people-centered development. In building Beijing into a garden city, experts said, we should explore a path of sustainable development, balancing the urban and rural areas, economic growth, and environmental protection. Additionally, it should prioritize the inheritance of Chinese culture and the well-being of residents. The planning should handle overall strategies and specific measures as a whole, ultimately exploring a model of urban governance under the concept of ecological civilization. The experts also emphasized that the development of a garden city should highlight functionality, applicability, and practicality. It should address functional and structural issues, emphasize social equity, promote multi-stakeholder participation in governance, consider economic aspects, maintain a rational attitude, and work to create a better future for generations to come.

In his summary, Mr. Shi Xiaodong emphasized that it is necessary to approach building Beijing into a garden city from the perspective of ecological civilization, especially in the context of building a beautiful home where humans coexist harmoniously with nature. He stressed the importance of considering how Beijing, as the capital, can implement national strategic requirements. This work, said Shi, is not just about specialized planning; it should draw insights from both history and contemporary practices, both domestic and international. The goal is to use this planning process to drive structural adjustments in the city and ultimately bring tangible benefits to the people by accomplishing practical tasks.

The consultation meeting served as a broad and open discussion focused on the urban garden section planning work. The participating experts expressed their earnest expectations and provided specific recommendations for building the capital into a garden city. The Institute will thoroughly implement the guidance provided by the experts, continue to gather and incorporate insights from various sectors of society, and earnestly carry out the planning work in order to build Beijing into a garden city.