Chinanews, Beijing, March 29 - China is fast on its way to urbanization nowadays, especially its capital Beijing.

 

By the end of 2006, there were 577 million urbanites in China, about 43.9% of its total population. In Beijing, about 83.62% of its residents were urbanites at that time, as many as in most developed countries.

 

"Urbanization rate in China is 1% to 1.2% every year, and the rate in Beijing is 1.5%," said someone working in the Ministry of Construction.

 

It is generally believed that the urbanization process of a country will slow down after 70% of its population become urbanites. This percentage will be enough for the attainment of urbanization in an ancient agricultural country, like China. China might reach this goal by 2050, if it keeps its current speed of urbanization.