ITDP Guangzhou New Office is officially opened for operation. Our new address is Room 2, Floor 11, Pearl River Planning Building (Zhujiang Guihua Dasha), No. 10, Jianshe Damalu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou. Come to exchange ideas with us!

10:50 in the morning on May 8th, ITDP held its opening ceremony for its new Guangzhou office, distinguished guesses include (in no particular order):

The US Consulate in Guangzhou: The Consul General Mr. Charles BENNETT, the Consul and Economic Officer Mr. Nar DAO, and the Chief Commercial Consul Elizabeth SHIEH.

Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute: the Director and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee Mr. Xingdong DENG, the Deputy Director Mr. Hong LIN, the Chief Planner Mr. Huiming HUANG, the Chief Municipal Engineer Mr. Yukui YANG, the Deputy Chief Municipal Engineer Mr. Yingchi WANG, the Director of Transport Planning Institute Mr. Xiaoming ZHANG, the Director of Landscape and Tourism Planning and Design Institute Mr. Feng HU, Office Director Ms. Fuxiang HUANG, Project Commissioner Ms. Hong SU.

Guangzhou Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute: Deputy Chief Engineer Mr. Jun ZOU, Deputy Director of Sixth Sub-Institute Mr. Hongzhu YANG, the Minister of Production Technology Department Ms. Min HAN;

The Chief Representative of Rockefeller Brothers Foundation China Region , Ms. Shenyu Belsky;

The Chairman of Guangdong Shouhui Lantian Engineering Science and Technology Ltd. Mr. Jun SUI;

The Deputy Director of Rail Transit Department of Guangzhou Transport Planning Research Institute Mr. Zhiming XIE;

The Deputy Chief Architect of Architectural Design and Research Institute of Guangdong Province Shenzhen Branch, Ms. Manying HU;

The Project Officer of Wild Aid Guangzhou Office Ms. Jiangnan MA

ITDP Regional Director of East and Southeast Asia Mr. Richard LIU, the Director and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute Mr. Xingdong DENG, the Consul General of the US Consulate in Guangzhou Mr. Charles BENNETT delivered speech respectively.

ITDP Regional Director of East and Southeast Asia Mr. Richard LIU Delivering Speech (Photo Taken by GZPI)

Mr. Richard LIU welcomed warmly our distinguished guests, and passed on the congratulation from the Interim CEO of ITDP Headquarter Heather THOMPSON. Heather lived in Guangzhou in the late 1990s, when the ring road was being built. The traffic congestion and the air pollution were terrible at the time. She commented that the development of Guangzhou today had been fast. It looked much different from before, and had become a wonderful place to live and visit, with world-class BRT, and the greenways, etc. She was pleased to witness all these positive changes in Guangzhou, and anticipated to continue ITDP’s contribution for the development of Guangzhou along with GZPI and other valued partners.

‘We are honored to work in China as an international NGO, as part of the longterm commitment between the United States and China to share best practices on energy and the environment. With ITDP’s history of more than a decade in helping China and the United States work together, we look forward to more cooperation. We hope to be a productive part of establishing the NGO sector as an important player in helping China shine in the international policy arena.’ Heather offered her sincere congratulation.

The Director and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute Mr. Xingdong DENG Delivering Speech (Photo by GZPI)

On behalf of GZPI, Director Deng warmly congratulated the opening of ITDP’s new Guangzhou Office. He remarked, ‘We consider ITDP as our important strategic partner, and our corporation with each other is very frequent, which is mainly in three aspects: first, technical coordination, such as the ‘Transit-oriented development’ International Workshop we held together in 2017; Second, project collaboration, such as the Lanzhou BRT Project in 2013, and the Research Project on Beijing Parking Study in 2014; and the third one, International Exchange, such as inviting us to participate in the Study Tour of Europe Union in year 2015 and 2016. All these collaborations have not only furthered promotion of technology and influence for both parties, but also brought Guangzhou and the society as a whole in a very good effect.’

‘As ITDP now being part of our institute, both parties will further our in-depth collaboration. In the future, we can focus on implementing more cooperation in the areas of non-motorized transportation improvement, transit-oriented development, and sustainable urban development, hence to put more effort together for a better living environment. Also, I am very pleased to have Consul General Charles Bennett here with us in our institute today. Apart from ITDP, we have also developed a number of coordination with several other US professional organizations, such as SOM, AECOM etc. I hope that Mr. Bennett and US Consulate continue to support our international communication and cooperation as always.’

The Consul General of the US Consulate in Guangzhou Mr. Charles BENNETT Delivering Speech (Photo by GZPI)

Mr. Bennett appreciated the invitation, thanked GZPI for offering a new home and all the support over the past years for ITDP. He was encouraged by all the organizations and people gathered here today because it is an example of how issues of global importance and local impact must be coordinated across borders. Last September, the inaugural U.S.-China Social and Cultural Dialogue was held in Beijing. Then in December, our two countries held the first U.S.-China Consultation on Foreign Nongovernmental Organization Management. The two sides discussed the critical role that NGOs play in facilitating people-to-people exchanges between our two countries. Both sides believe that the strength and success of all countries depends on protecting and supporting civil society. Commenting on the event, he felt that it was a positive sign that there were partners in Guangzhou who would recognize the importance of organizations like ITDP and the role they play in supporting global issues and improving local lives. Looking back at the history of the United States, it was clear that civil society had been a key link between their government and people without which it would not have reached its current level of development. He believed that the promotion of civil society organizations hold the same promise of strengthening China as it strengthened the United States.

‘As ITDP’s Guangzhou office settles into its new space here at the Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute, I hope that today takes us all one step to greater cooperation and broader recognition of the contributions that civil society can make to solving society’s most challenging issues.’ Mr. Bennett shared his vision.

Group Photo of Three Speech Presenters, Photo by GZPI

Before the Ceremony, distinguished guests reviewed ITDP’s China Projects and Conceptual Schemes with us in the Exhibition Room

At last, ITDP Regional Director of East and Southeast Asia Mr. Richard LIU, the Director and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute Mr. Xingdong DENG, and the Consul General of the US Consulate in Guangzhou Mr. Charles BENNETT cut the ribbon for ITDP Guangzhou new Office.