Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/BrQU6Nl4N7U

On 28 July 2026, taking the opportunity of key events under the framework of China’s APEC Year 2026, the Global Forum on Urban Governance and Sustainable Development & Global Launch Event of Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) Products was held in Shenzhen. Guided by the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and the Bureau of Territorial Spatial Planning, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of China, supported by UN-Habitat, the forum was co-organized by the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and the Ocean Development Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality.The event officially unveiled the full suite of Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) products, creating an assessment tool for sustainable urban development rooted in China’s urban practices and oriented toward the world.

Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) is jointly developed by the Shenzhen Urban Planning and Land Development Research Center, in collaboration with the Bureau of Territorial Spatial Planning, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of China, the Outlook Think Tank of Xinhua News Agency, and other institutions. Its core concept is to build a people-oriented "6+19+50+X" comprehensive evaluation system, aiming to transform Shenzhen's development experience into an international public good and provide a "Chinese solution" for global urban governance.

UIS evaluates cities across six dimensions—Innovation, Livability, Aesthetics, Resilience, Humanism, and Intelligence—providing systematic measurement and dynamic monitoring of urban development quality. The inaugural product portfolio includes two flagship research reports, a monthly monitoring bulletin, an official bilingual website, and an official WeChat account, forming an eight-part product ecosystem that integrates research dissemination, knowledge sharing, experimental platforms, analytical tools, thematic forums, awards, and academic publications.

At its core, UIS places human well-being at the center of urban development. Professor Zheng Yongnian, Dean of the School of Public Policy at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), shared his insights in an on-site interview: "The core value, in the final analysis, is human happiness. When we discuss cities, we are discussing real people. Everything should revolve around people's lives—that is the core of the Urban Index. UIS is indeed people-oriented, aiming to improve people's quality of life." Professor Zheng further noted that China has now shifted from quantitative economic growth to high-quality development, and enhancing the quality of cities is a key driver of this transition—a need to which the launch of UIS directly responds.

As a major event within the framework of the APEC China Year, the forum attracted participants from multiple countries and regions, including city administrators, representatives of international organizations, urban planning experts, and scholars from academic institutions. Attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as global urban governance innovation, localized implementation of sustainable development goals, and the application of urban indices in policy-making.

Supported by rigorous research methodologies and an international vision, the Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) will offer reliable references for urban decision-makers, planning practitioners, researchers and the general public across the globe, and help cities worldwide advance toward high-quality and sustainable development.

Media Contact
Company Name: Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS)
Contact Person: XieBingxin
Email: Send Email
Country: China
Website: www.global-uis.cn