China Reports Major Progress in Upgrading Housing and Urban Living Standards

China has made significant strides in improving housing conditions for millions of citizens since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, according to an official speaking on the latest episode of the “China Economic Roundtable,” a multimedia forum hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

Pan Wei, an official from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said the country has spent the past decade addressing widespread housing challenges by renovating shantytowns, unsafe or ageing homes, old urban neighbourhoods, and densely populated urban villages.

Since 2012, more than 68 million units of affordable and resettlement housing have been built nationwide, allowing over 170 million people with limited means to secure stable homes. During the same period, more than 300,000 older residential communities have undergone upgrades, improving living conditions for more than 130 million urban residents.

Pan noted that China has now developed a multi-level housing support system tailored to different social groups, including low-income families, young people, and newly arrived urban residents. He added that the vast renovation effort has been backed by a broad package of supportive policies, including tax benefits, financial lending, land-use planning, and central government subsidies.