China, UK professionals eye cooperation on human settlement environment

CAMBRIDGE, Britain - China and Britain have plenty of opportunities to work together on building on better human settlement environment, agreed experts from both countries on a professional forum held on Tuesday at Cambridge.

Initiated by Shenzhen Human Settlement Environment Seminar, and co-hosted by Cambridge Human Settlement Environment Research Center and UK Chinese Business Association, the first China-UK Human Settlement Environment Forum has brought together some respected academics and design consultants on the built environment from Britain and China.

Under the theme of "the peace between human and environment", the two-day forum provides an opportunity to discuss and debate many aspects of human settlements, including how to build a healthy city and what should be the principles for a sustainable city.

According to a research cooperation agreement signed during the forum, the two sides are planning several joint projects, including bringing UK city designers to Chinese cities like Shenzhen and Chongqing to help develop sustainable residential communities.

Dr. Christina Li, executive chair of the forum, who provides consultancy for many housing and real estate projects in China, said the more she gets involved in human settlement projects in China, the more she believes China has already made certain achievement and experience to share with western countries in terms of developing a healthy and sustainable city.

William Fawcett, chair of Cambridge Architecture Research, told Xinhua he sees the forum "an excellent way to identify the potentials for collaboration" between China and Britain under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The professionals from two countries also announced a joint declaration on human settlement environment, named the Cambridge Menifesto, intending to provide a framework for future research in order to help achieve healthy, clean, safe, mutually supportive and sustainable cities.