Topic: 2025 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference & First Green Industry and Sustainable Consumption Expo The 2025 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference is being held from October 16 to 18 at the Expo Park in Huangpu District, Shanghai. Xu Rong, President of China Resources Land Limited, attended and delivered a speech.

In his address, Xu emphasized that sustainable development is not merely a noble initiative but a significant challenge of our time. He highlighted the shared task of transforming sustainable development from a mere annual report into a genuine driving force for corporate evolution, urban advancement, and enhancing people's lives. He stated that China Resources Land, as the core business unit of China Resources Group responsible for urban construction and operations, has evolved over more than 30 years from a regional residential developer to a leading urban investment and development operator in the industry. Xu noted that for China Resources Land, urban spaces are the primary battleground. Through the practice of coexisting and prospering with cities, their understanding of sustainable development is crystallized into three progressively deepening dimensions: First, rigorously adhering to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) sustainability concepts; second, actively promoting innovative models for corporate and urban growth; and third, returning to a human-centered urban value system in urban construction. He articulated that the ESG approach solidifies the foundation for corporate growth as it serves as an internationally recognized evaluation standard for enterprises, which is crucial for central enterprises in implementing national strategies. China Resources Land upholds a comprehensive sustainability philosophy throughout the lifecycle from design to construction to operation. By implementing pilot programs, solidifying experiences, and promoting systems, they have initiated low-carbon project trials across different sectors and developed the China Resources Tower as a circular and ultra-low energy consumption building. Leading industry development, the urban investment and development operator model supports urban sustainability. Xu mentioned that China's urban development has shifted from quantity expansion to enhancing quality and efficiency. It is imperative to ride the trend and proactively explore new models for real estate development, which is the fundamental reason for China Resources Land's steadfast transformation into an urban investment and development operator. So, what does it mean to be an urban investment and development operator? Xu believes it signifies a shift from simply being builders to becoming partners in urban initiatives and long-term service providers. This transition emphasizes an area-focused approach rather than isolated projects; China Resources Land aims to enhance overall planning, industrial vitality, and living quality of a region. “We strive to be patient capital and continuously foster vibrancy in an area, enhancing its value and sharing developmental benefits with the city. Our goal is not just to construct a project, but to grow alongside the city, binding corporate interests with long-term urban prosperity,” he stated. Xu articulated that the urban operator model is a new sustainable industry paradigm as it overcomes reliance on one-time land appreciation, instead depending on professional operational capabilities to generate long-term stable cash flows, enabling resilience and high-quality development across economic cycles. Driving forward with the times, adhering to a people-oriented value system, and jointly building a modern city for the people. Xu asserted that the highest value of a company is to be a constructive force driving societal progress. China Resources Land is committed to making the grand vision of a people-centered city into a tangible and palpable urban reality through several strategic dimensions. Firstly, by vigorously promoting technological innovation, China Resources Land actively embraces digital transformation, deeply applying IoT and big data technologies in smart construction sites, smart malls, and smart community developments. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also provides citizens with safe, convenient, and efficient intelligent services, contributing to the development of innovative and smart cities. Secondly, the company is focused on continuously improving living quality, establishing a robust housing system consisting of good products, good communities, and good services. Thirdly, it steadfastly practices green development, integrating the "dual carbon" strategy into all aspects of urban construction and operation, reducing carbon footprints from the source while actively creating urban green spaces, committed to portraying a beautiful urban tapestry and thereby solidifying the sustainable foundation of resilient cities. Fourthly, it strives to stimulate urban vitality, insisting on a people-centered approach, enriching various spatial experiences, social interactions, and cultural content. Through content operations, it injects vibrant activities and continuous energy into the city, nourishing the spiritual life of the populace and imparting soul to urban vitality. “All our practices return to the original intention of enhancing quality to bring more changes to the city, reverting to the value point of being people-centered. Our mission has long transcended construction alone; rather, it is intricately linked to urban development and the improvement of people’s living standards. We are no longer merely builders of physical spaces but creators of city value and improved living conditions,” he concluded. The 2025 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference is co-hosted by the World Green Design Organization (WGDO) and Sina Group, with the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation (IFRS Foundation) Beijing Office as a co-organizer, and is supported by the People's Government of Huangpu District, Shanghai. Sina Statement: All conference records are transcribed on-site and have not been reviewed by the speakers. This article is published by Sina.net to convey more information and does not imply endorsement of the viewpoints expressed or verification of the descriptions provided.