Zhang Ping, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, speaks at a press conference for the first session of the 12th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 6, 2013. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

China's national plan for urbanization may come out in the first half of this year, said Zhang Ping, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Wednesday at a press conference for the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.

Zhang said there will be four major tasks to undertake. The first task is to create good layouts for all types of cities so that they all have a well-planned structure. China needs to control the scale of "super-big" cities and focus on developing small and medium-sized cites and townships, Zhang said, citing Premier Wen Jiabao's work report.

The second task is to enhance construction of urban infrastructure and to improve cities' carrying capacities. Zhang said China, as a developing country, still needs to invest a lot in infrastructure to improve people's lives, especially in China's central and western areas.

He added that bigger cities also need to improve their urban infrastructure. He took Beijing as an example and said Beijing, which was hit hard by floods last year, needs to improve its drainage system.

Zhang said that the third task is to ensure that city layouts are in accordance with available resources and the environment.

The fourth task is to help rural migrants transition from rural to urban life and gradually improve the public services available to them.

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