CHENGDU, China, Oct. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On October 15, the Sixth Park City Forum opened at the Tianfu International Conference Center in Chengdu, China. This forum was hosted by the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government and themed “Building Park Cities Together, Sharing Opening-up Opportunities”, attracting government officials, business representatives, and academic researchers from many countries around the world to attend and jointly explore feasible paths for ecological resources to drive urban growth. During the forum, participating international city representatives jointly released the “Chengdu Initiative for Park City Development”, and enterprises and scientific research institutions reached the “Chengdu Consensus on Green and Low-Carbon Integrated Development of Science and Industry”.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

For a long period in the past, in the course of global urbanization, urban spatial expansion often came at the cost of shrinking natural ecological space, and problems such as biodiversity loss and the intensifying heat island effect became common challenges for most cities around the world. Chengdu’s practice, however, has taken a different path: it does not regard natural green space as a mere decorative accessory to the city, but instead treats the complete ecosystem as a core component of urban infrastructure.

Since the Park City concept was first introduced in Chengdu in 2018, the city has built more than 1,500 parks of various types, and its Tianfu Greenway system now extends over 10,000 kilometers, linking mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, farmland, and urban communities into a continuous green network spanning urban and rural areas. In January 2026, infrared cameras in the Chongzhou area of the Giant Panda National Park, located within Chongzhou City in western Chengdu, recorded footage of a wild giant panda mother and cub active in the snow, and this record directly confirms the integrity and stability of the local ecosystem.

Chengdu’s exploration has transformed from mere ecological protection into turning ecological advantages into tangible momentum for economic growth. On the Sci-Tech Innovation Eco-Island by Xinglong Lake in Chengdu Tianfu New Area, 27 national-level scientific research institutions and multiple low-carbon technology enterprises have already settled in, all buildings on the island follow green building standards, and a supporting low-carbon transportation system has been put in place, driving the coordinated development of ecological space, scientific research activities, and industrial application.

This transformation is also reflected in the increased multi-functionality of urban green space. Today, Chengdu’s green space is no longer merely an ecological carrier, but has become a multi-functional urban asset integrating functions such as living services, leisure consumption, and outdoor sports. Data show that, as of the end of 2025, Chengdu’s total greenway mileage had reached 10,048 kilometers. The 100-kilometer ring-city ecological greenway alone received 60 million tourist visits a year, with about 40,000 person-trips per day made by bicycle. Along the greenways, over a thousand fitness spaces, consumption venues, and convenience facilities are linked together, driving the development of new business formats related to outdoor leisure.

As of 2026, Chengdu has been included in the list of China’s Happiest Cities for 17 consecutive years, and in 2025, it ranked among the world’s top ten leisure cities, the only Chinese city on the list. In addition, China’s first national standard in the field of Park City, formulated under Chengdu’s leadership, has been officially released, and Chengdu’s experience has become a benchmark for the industry.

For cities around the world still exploring paths to sustainable development, Chengdu’s practice proves that natural ecology and urban development are not mutually exclusive. Through systematic spatial planning and industrial design, ecological advantages can be continuously transformed into improvements in residents’ quality of life and momentum for economic development, providing stable support for the city’s long-term development.


Contact person: Ms. Lyu, Tel: 86-10-63074558.

Media gallery

About The Author
The Chengdu Municipal People's Government