Urbanization to rise to 60 pct on $6.5 trln plan

China's 40 trillion yuan ($6.5 trillion) spending plan on infrastructure construction up to 2020 may see 60 percent of the country urbanized, up from 51 percent now, economists said.

The country intends to spend the massive amount to construct metro lines, roads and railways, according to National Development and Reform Commission, China's top planning agency.

This new round of urbanization will focus on people and policies will be unveiled to promote fair opportunities in employment, household registration and public services, Ba Shusong, a researcher at the Development Research Center, a think-tank that advises China's Cabinet, said at Singapore bank OCBC's forum in Shanghai yesterday.

He added that job creation is most critical to the success of urbanization.

Ba said that although China has made tremendous achievements in urbanization, significant problems have also emerged, including an aging population, low utility of land and a liquidity crunch in the western and inland regions.