This photo, taken on May 22, 2025, shows a view of Chongqing Municipality, southwest China. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - The 2025 World Cities Day China Observance will take place in Chongqing from October 27 to 29, marking the first time the event has come to China's central and western region.

Li Zhe, deputy division head of planning, finance, and foreign affairs at the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at a press conference on October 17 that the diverse terrain and climate of central and western China have shaped cities with unique development models—offering fresh, replicable solutions for urban growth at home and abroad.

As the host city, Chongqing represents a blend of metropolises, rural areas, mountainous regions, and reservoir areas, making it China's largest city in terms of administrative area and population. Known as the only megacity in the world built among parallel mountain ridges and valleys, Chongqing holds a vital strategic position with striking spatial characteristics and a prominent urban–rural dual structure, Li noted.

Leveraging its dramatic landscape and mountain–river charm, Chongqing has built a globally recognizable city brand and made notable progress in modern urban governance as a megacity, he said. He added that through the event, the city will showcase its experience in urban planning, construction, and management, providing vivid examples of the idea of "Better City, Better Life" advocated by World Cities Day.

World Cities Day emerged from the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, specifically the Shanghai Declaration. Celebrated annually on October 31, the day promotes international urban dialogue.

Themed people-centered cities and smart futures, the 2025 World Cities Day China Observance in Chongqing is jointly organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, UN-Habitat, and the Chongqing government. It featured three main sessions—the opening ceremony, main forum, and parallel forums. Five international exchange activities focused on key issues in urban development, offering replicable solutions to help cities worldwide tackle development challenges.

A themed exhibition showcased China's achievements in urban construction, Chongqing's practices in megacity governance, urban renewal, and ecological restoration, and cutting-edge technologies such as construction robots, AI models, and smart homes. Three city tours covered topics including urban renewal, community governance, ecological restoration, and industrial heritage preservation.

Through these activities, participants exchanged insights and best practices on promoting sustainable urban development and improving living environments. The event brought together hundreds of guests from UN-Habitat, ESCAP, foreign embassies and consulates in China, Chongqing's sister cities, and domestic cities.

During the event, Chongqing will release the Chongqing Voluntary Local Reviews and the Chongqing Initiative of the 2025 World Cities Day China Observance. The 2025 Annual Report of the Shanghai Manual: A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21st Century will also be promoted. According to Li, these publications will highlight China’s efforts and vision in implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the New Urban Agenda, and global development and governance initiatives.