scene of the closing session of the forum
The 6th Expo theme forum held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, has offered inspirations to cities' future development by pooling global wisdom and innovative practices in urban planning and regional management, Shanghai's Vice Mayor Yang Xiong said at the forum's closing ceremony this morning.
The two-day forum along the West Lake was the last one of the six Expo theme forums, which were held in six Chinese cities neighbouring Shanghai. Yang said the forums have succeeded in providing inspiration and guidance to cities' future development, comprising a spiritual legacy of the Expo.
Wang Weiguang, Executive Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said urbanization contributes to the rapid economic growth and social development, while it also leads to the imbalance of urban and rural development and challenges to the environment. He called on officials to adopt a people-oriented, comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development concept to tackle these problems.
In the three sub-forums this morning, experts discussed urban governance and community participation, environment and livable life as well as social policies and harmonious cities.
About 800 officials, scholars and experts attended the forum.
A summit forum on urban innovation and sustainable development will be held towards the end of the Expo. Leaders from many countries and the secretary general of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon have been invited to attend and sign a declaration on urban development.
