Govt to renovate over 50,000 old communities, upgrade 100,000 km of pipelines

China's top urban development authority announced on Friday that it plans to renovate over 50,000 old residential communities and upgrade more than 100,000 kilometers of outdated pipelines this year.

Qin Haixiang, vice-minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, made the remarks at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on Friday.

He said that this year, the ministry will continue to focus on renovating old residential communities in urban areas, addressing issues such as the installation of elevators, parking, and charging facilities.

On this basis, efforts will be made to promote the renewal and renovation of old streets and factory areas, Qin said.

In addition, the construction of urban underground pipelines will be a key focus this year, the official said, noting that the goal is to upgrade more than 100,000 kilometers of various aging pipelines.

At the same time, the ministry will utilize digital tools to monitor municipal facilities such as water supply, drainage, gas, and bridges in real-time.

This will help in the early detection, early warning, and early handling of safety hazards, thereby ensuring the safe operation of cities, Qin said.

Efforts to address urban waterlogging will also be strengthened.

"This year, we aim to complete the renovation of over 1,000 waterlogging-prone spots in 100 cities, while accelerating the construction of urban drainage and waterlogging prevention systems," Qin said.