China is one of the first countries to establish a permanent representative office to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Since the official opening of its Permanent Mission in Nairobi, Kenya in 1990, China has maintained close and friendly cooperation with UN-Habitat.  President Hu Jintao, Premier Zhu Rongji, and Premier Li Keqiang of China each met with the Executive Director of UN-Habitat respectively during their visits to Kenya,.

  High attention at the national level has laid a solid foundation for cooperation. The two sides have achieved fruitful results in pragmatic cooperation and jointly provided global public goods for sustainable development. In 2013, at China’s initiative, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing World Cities Day, the first international day promoted by China at the United Nations. It has become an important global platform for exchanges and cooperation on sustainable urban development. In 2022, China proposed and supported UN-Habitat in establishing the Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award), a major measure by China to implement the Global Development Initiative and advance the  Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), which has become a key platform for recognizing exemplary cities worldwide. Vice Premier He Lifeng and the Executive Director of UN-Habitat jointly presented the first Shanghai Award in Shanghai, injecting strong momentum into bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

  In the field of urban governance, China has always been an active participant and an important contributor. China actively takes part in the work of governing bodies, including the United Nations Habitat Assembly, the Executive Board, and the Committee of Permanent Representatives. Serving as the Rapporteur of the first Assembly Bureau, a member of the Executive Board, and in other capacities, China has been deeply involved in the review and formulation of rules of procedure, strategic plans, annual work programmes and budgets. In 2023, Minister Ni Hong of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development led a delegation to the Second Session of the UN-Habitat Assembly, and in 2025, Vice Minister Dong Jianguo to its resumed session, demonstrating China’s firm support for global human settlements development. In the consultation of outcome documents of all sessions, China has actively put forward constructive proposals and exercised its voting rights, resolutely safeguared its core interests and promoted the formation of multilateral consensus that meets the interests of developing countries. In May 2025, China was elected as the dual Vice-Chair of the Bureaus of both the Executive Board and the Committee of Permanent Representatives for the new term.

  UN-Habitat highly commends China’s innovative practices, such as promoting World Cities Day and initiating the Shanghai Award, noting that these initiatives to have provided valuable experience and effective pathways for the sustainable development of global human settlements. Through its active participation in governance and proactive engagement in practical cooperation, China has become an outstanding model for developing countries to engage in global urban governance, making important contributions to promoting balanced, inclusive, and sustainable development of human settlements worldwide.