China’s urbanization should focus on “people” and try to be a green one, industry experts said at International Green Habitat Forum.

“The key of the ongoing urbanization should center around people, which is aimed at improving their education and skills,” said Jiang Yi, a professor at Tsinghua University. “It should not be regarded as a target but a process.”

According Nicholas You, chairman of World Urban Campaign under the United Nations, the real challenge for eco-urbanism is to achieve a social equality.

Sustainable urbanization has to make the development of each person sustainable, You told the forum.

The forum, themed “Green Habitat, Eco Urbanism”, was held by United Nations Environment Programme and China Merchants Group.

China’s urbanization rate reached 52.6 percent in 2012, from 17.9 percent in 1978. The government is working on a new urbanization plan to be released next year.