On the afternoon of November 16, the 2025 Think Tank Annual Conference on Megacity Governance (Beijing) opened under the theme “Smarter Governance for Better Life”. Fu Hua, President of Xinhua News Agency, and Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Fu Hua noted that in the new era, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with a firm grasp on the laws governing urban development, has given equal emphasis to urban planning and governance while steadily advancing urbanization. These efforts have charted a course for urban development with Chinese characteristics. He emphasized that Xinhua News Agency has long closely followed global urbanization trends and vividly documented the diverse practices of megacity governance. He expressed readiness to work with colleagues from all sectors, using this annual conference as an opportunity, to deepen research on urban governance, strengthen cooperation, build consensus, and contribute to enhancing the governance capacity of megacities and enabling cities to better support people’s all-round development.

Yin Yong noted that in recent years Beijing has further implemented the Master Plan of Development for Beijing (2016-2035) and improved urban governance with meticulous efforts, achieving notable progress in addressing the “big city malaise”. The city will fully implement the guiding principles of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the Central Urban Work Conference, and accelerate its endeavor to become a world-class, harmonious, and livable capital. Upholding its strategic positioning as the nation’s capital, Beijing will stay committed to its development blueprint, advance urban development in alignment with its functions as the capital, and expedite the formation of a modern capital metropolitan area. In addition, Beijing will promote intensive development, advance urban renewal, and build a model for new smart city development. It will also uphold a people-centered development philosophy. This includes improving people’s wellbeing through better social services in seven aspects, meeting public expectations for a better life in five areas, and increasing the provision of high-quality public services.

Qiu Yong, Secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, delivered remarks. Zhu Juwang, Director of the Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, addressed the annual conference via video link, and Petr Bystron, Member of the European Parliament, also delivered a speech. During the annual conference, exchange forums, international think-tank symposiums, and other sessions will bring together city leaders, experts, scholars, and think-tank organizations with global influence to discuss issues related to megacity planning, development, and economic, ecological, and environmental management.

Zeng Jin, Secretary General of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, was also in attendance.