China's experience using tech for urban growth draws adulation

Cities in countries involved in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are accelerating efforts to use science and technology to drive smarter, more inclusive and resilient urban development — with China's experience and cooperation emerging as a key catalyst in this shared pursuit, officials and experts said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a thematic dialogue among cities of SCO member states in Tianjin, Aleksandra Voronova, a counselor with the division of foreign economic activity at the Moscow Center for International Cooperation, highlighted the potential for deeper and mutually beneficial partnerships between Moscow and Chinese provincial-level regions that serve the long-term interests of all.

Voronova, who has visited China twice, said she was deeply impressed by the remarkable speed at which Chinese cities have embraced technological progress and innovation. She noted that China stands at the forefront of global advances in areas such as high-speed rail development, the rise of the sharing economy and the rapid expansion of internet-based commerce.