Starting this year, the United Nations Human Settlements Program will launch projects in China to help upgrade safe drinking water and urban sanitation programs for the country, according to senior UN officials.

UN Under Secretary-General Anna Tibaijuka, who is the executive director of the program, made the announcement during the ongoing First China Weihai International Habitat Festival, which started on Wednesday in Weihai of East China's Shandong Province.

Tibaijuka said the program has started city water supply projects in both Asia and Africa.

To meet the goals for water and sanitation in Asia, it is estimated that an additional 675 million people in Asian cities need to have access to adequate sanitation, and 619 million must have access to safe water.

The Millennium Development Goals pledge to help at least half those people have safe water to drink by 2015.

To date, the UN program has acquired US$500 million in Asian Development Bank (ADB) loans for water and sanitation projects in cities across Asia over the next five years.

Additional funds for Water for Asian Cities have been made available by the Netherlands, she said.

The Weihai event is the first such festival globally, highlighting the improvement of the human living environment. With the theme of "habitat, environment and development," the event included China habitat exhibitions, an international forum on habitat development and an international real estate show.

Last October, Weihai grabbed the UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, and since 1990, China has obtained 11 Scroll of Honour Awards and five Dubai International Awards for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment.

Tibaijuka said China had made many achievements in improving people's living environment, and China's success in achieving a sustainable urbanization course could be a good example for other developing countries.

"Like many other countries in the world, China has to face various challenges brought by fast-paced economic and social development, including urban expansion, pollution deterioration, water shortages and a wide gap between the rich and the poor," said Tibaijuka.

"The urbanization course demands a biological and livable environment."

Liu Zhifeng, China's vice-minister of construction, said that China has entered an all-round habitat comprehensive treatment stage.

To date, the country has made various achievements in the protection of historical cultural sites and cities, old city area renovation and economically affordable housing for low-income families.

Statistics show China's urbanization rate has reached 40.5 per cent, with a population of 523 million.

The average urban living area per capita reached 23.7 square metres, and 27.2 in rural areas.

The minister said the country is also trying to balance harmonious co-existence of urban and rural development, economic and social development, between humans and nature.

Meanwhile, China will strengthen international co-operation and exchanges in habitat improvement, and contribute to global sustainable urbanization.

(China Daily September 3, 2004)