A worker builds a public facility in a residential community as part of an urban renewal project in Tianjin on May 28, 2025. SUN FANYUE/XINHUA
China has unveiled its first national-level urban renewal plan, with market watchers expecting about 15 trillion yuan ($2.1 trillion) in investment during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), as the government seeks to modernize aging infrastructure, upgrade residential areas and boost domestic demand, experts said.
The plan, released in May by the State Council — the nation's Cabinet — is the first national-level guideline for urban renewal and the first sector-specific plan to be implemented following the release of the broader five-year blueprint.
It outlines quantitative targets, including the renovation of 500,000 dilapidated urban residential units, 115,000 aging residential communities, 1,500 outdated industrial districts and factory zones, 4,000 urban villages and 365,000 kilometers of underground pipeline upgrades by 2030.
In this context, China is expected to invest at least 15 trillion yuan in urban renewal projects during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, averaging 3 trillion yuan annually, said a research note by Huachuang Securities.
