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In 2011, China reached a profound historical milestone: more than half of its population lives in cities and towns. In 2013, the new leadership of China announced that the ‘new form of urbanization’ would be the future direction of China’s development. In the last three decades, the profession of urban planning also experienced significant transformation from a blueprint physical plan to the instrument of place promotion. The tool of planning has been playing an important role in stimulating local economic growth. In China’s new urban age, we are seeing new challenges faced by its people. Recent smog in Beijing and other widespread environmental problems indicate the need to transform its development approach. Meanwhile, China’s urban transformation and planning changes raise a challenge for the disciplines of urban studies, planning and geography: can the discipline of urban studies, geography and planning adequately explain these novel phenomena? Recently, there has been an appeal for ‘global urban studies’. Indeed, we have seen more and more Chinese students coming to the universities in the West to learn, and many PhD researchers are studying Chinese cities and planning for their doctoral theses. In professional and academic meetings, China is constantly mentioned but often in a sketchy and anecdotal way. This first China Planning Research Symposium aims to provide a platform for researchers to exchange their studies on Chinese cities and planning. In addition, this event will be interesting to the postgraduate students as well as their supervisors.ProgrammeSession 1: Development and planning in ChinaSession 2: Spatial transformation of Chinese citiesSession 3: Social development in Chinese citiesSession 4: Economic and spatial changesDetailed programmehttp://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/planning/latest/events/attachments/cprg-planning-symposium-programmeOrganized byChina Planning Research Group, Bartlett School of Planning, University College LondonDateMay 31, 2013 Time09:00 - 17:00VenueRoom 517, Wates House, 22 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0QBRegistrationsFree but booking is essential. Please reserve a place on http://uclcprgsymposium.eventbrite.co.uk/&#160;&#160;&#160;