China will restrict the construction of skyscrapers in smaller cities.

The restrictive regulations were announced by China's Ministry of Urban-Rural Development and Housing on October 26th. According to Reuters, without special permits, cities with populations under 3 million will not be allowed to build buildings taller than 150 meters, and all cities with populations over 3 million will not be allowed to build buildings taller than 250 meters. Furthermore, the country will not allow any building to exceed 500 meters in height under any circumstances. Those who grant permits for projects violating the new regulations will face "lifetime responsibility."

This announcement, which was recently made, has received widespread support from many users of China's Weibo social media platform, with many arguing that building skyscrapers is unnecessary and merely for show.

Beijing acknowledges that high-rise buildings help to make better use of land resources; however, in recent years, the number of such buildings has increased, raising questions about whether local officials are competing to construct skyscrapers for image purposes, without regard for the practicality and safety of the structures.

In early 2021, a 71-story, 356-meter-tall building in Shenzhen experienced persistent shaking, raising concerns about the safety of similar structures. Investigations revealed the cause was a 50-meter-tall support column on the building's roof being blown away by the wind. The building reopened in September after the column was removed. However, China issued a ban on the construction of buildings over 500 meters following this serious incident.

In addition, local authorities will also inspect all existing high-rise buildings, checking foundations, structures, electricity, water and gas supplies, building materials, earthquake resistance, and fire safety. Furthermore, cities need to strictly control the construction of skyscrapers in ecologically fragile areas and urban ventilation corridors.

Khanh Ha