Great potential for China eco-cities: Mah

Much of innovation in sustainable living will occur in China, he says
Grace Ng Straits Times 31 Jul 10;

SHANGHAI: What a small place like Singapore can do to create a fast-growing yet liveable city, the cities of China have even more potential to do it, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan told a Shanghai forum yesterday.

'My personal belief is that much of the innovation in sustainable living will occur right here in Chinese cities,' he said.

'The huge market in China, as well as the huge talent pool in China, will make Chinese cities fertile grounds for innovations, new technology and ideas to bloom and take off.'

Mr Mah was giving the keynote speech at the forum organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore in conjunction with the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

Some 300 people attended the forum, including officials from Shanghai, Tianjin, provinces such as Guangdong and Jiangsu, as well as local developers and urban planners.

The event featured speakers such as China's Vice-Minister for Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Mr Qiu Baoxing, and Mr Daniel Libeskind, a renowned American architect who designed Reflections at Keppel Bay.

The speakers shared their views on how to make high-growth cities sustainable and liveable.

This is a hot topic in China, which has paid a heavy environmental and social price for its red-hot growth in many parts of the vast country.

Mr Mah observed that different cities in Asia will strike their own paths, depending on their unique circumstances.

But, he noted, underlying the innovative ideas and models of sustainable and liveable cities are three principles that guided Singapore as it was charting its own development path, since gaining independence 45 years ago.

Firstly, Mr Mah said, 'sustainable development is about improving the quality of life for our people'.

Secondly, there is a need to plan long term and invest consistently in sustainable development during both high and low points of the economic cycle, he said.

A third principle, he added, was to 'make markets work for, rather than against sustainability'.

The Singapore Government has intervened in markets to make them work better, such as by pricing resources right. For instance, Singapore has a policy of zero subsidy for water and may even include a charge to discourage wastage and pollution.

Singapore has followed these principles in creating 'clean growth' that cuts down on pollution, and designing living spaces that are green, congestion-free and make good use of scarce resources.

And Chinese cities can do even more than Singapore - which at 710 sq km, is just one-tenth the size of the Shanghai municipality.

'If Singapore, a small city-state, can achieve both growth and liveability, so much more is the potential of Chinese cities,' said Mr Mah.

'China's success in achieving both vibrant growth and liveability will make a tremendous positive impact on cities throughout Asia, including Singapore.'

Vice-minister Qiu said China wants to be at the forefront of the creation of low-carbon eco-cities.

Unlike some developed countries that create eco-cities after they have industrialised, China is doing both at the same time now, he added. 'The development of our eco-cities is taking place at the peak period of our urbanisation.'

Mr Libeskind noted that China has what it takes to successfully create sustainable eco-cities - even ahead of some developed countries. It has 'great potential of intelligence', a sophisticated culture, and 'more urgency', he said. 'I have great confidence... that eco-cities will be realised here first.'