China has entered a period of fastgrowth in urbanization, the
Guangming Daily reported on Friday.
Chinese experts predict that the number of people living in Chinese
cities is expected to reach 1.12 billion by 2050, accounting for 70
percent of the country's total population. More than 600 million
Chinese people will shift from rural areas to urban districts in
the next 50 years.
At
present, the Chinese mainland has more than 660 cities and 19,000
towns. By 2050, 80 percent of towns will have grown into small or
medium-sized cities.
By
then, China will have 50 ultra-large cities, each with an urban
population of more than 2 million, 150 big cities, 500 medium-sized
cities and 1,500 small cities.
The urbanization rate in China would rise from the current 36
percent to 70 percent, which was vitally important in narrowing the
gap between rural areas and urban districts, boosting China's
economic growth and creating more jobs, an expert said.
( July 20, 2002)