China has entered a period of fastgrowth in urbanization, the Guangming Daily reported on Friday.

Chinese experts predict that the number of people living in Chinese cities is expected to reach 1.12 billion by 2050, accounting for 70 percent of the country's total population. More than 600 million Chinese people will shift from rural areas to urban districts in the next 50 years.

At present, the Chinese mainland has more than 660 cities and 19,000 towns. By 2050, 80 percent of towns will have grown into small or medium-sized cities.

By then, China will have 50 ultra-large cities, each with an urban population of more than 2 million, 150 big cities, 500 medium-sized cities and 1,500 small cities.

The urbanization rate in China would rise from the current 36 percent to 70 percent, which was vitally important in narrowing the gap between rural areas and urban districts, boosting China's economic growth and creating more jobs, an expert said.

(People's Daily July 20, 2002)