On November 4-5, 2023, Liu Xinfeng, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Center of Science & Technology and Industrialization Development (CSTID) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), Huang Haiqun, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of CSTID of MOHURD, Liang Hao, Division Chief of the Green Building Division, and others went to Xinyang to investigate Xinyang Future Human Settlement Technology Exhibition Hall, the first future community pilot project in Henan Province - Yangshan Better Future Community, the first case of the country's rural resettlement area transformed into a rural future community - Gugang Future Community, the first international rural future community pilot in Henan Province - Luoshan Hejiachong, the first pilot project of China Rural Future Community Standards - Pingqiao Haotang Village and other projects planned and created by SUC Institute.

On June 19, 2023, the 20th China International Exposition of Housing Industry & Products and Equipment of Building Industrialization (CIEHI) with the theme of "Technology empowers the construction of good housing, and innovation creates a peaceful life" opened in Beijing. Yu Haizhong, Vice Mayor of Xinyang City, Li Xianlin, Deputy County Mayor of Luoshan County, and Wang Zhigang, Deputy County Mayor of Qihe County respectively introduced the innovative practices and achievements of their cities in building “good houses, good residential communities, good communities, good urban areas" + good cities with the whole-process consultancy and technical support of SUC Institute.

Evaluation Criteria for Rural Future Communities in China is the first national association standard in the field of rural future community construction. It is also the first standardized document focusing on the dimension of community construction to promote rural revitalization. With the project approval of the China International Association for Promotion of Science and Technology, this standard was proposed by the Beijing Future Ekistics Technology Institute. In June 2021, it was officially announced and filed on the National Association Standard Information Platform of the Standardization Administration. The manuscript submitted for review finally formed after 18 months and several revisions. 

With the 8-word policy of "global vision, international standards, Xinyang characteristics, and high-point positioning", the SUC Guidelines are fully integrated in the planning and construction management of urban-rural future communities, future Ekistics-tech innovation cities, and high-tech zones in southeast Henan, in order to create high-level and high-quality templates for development. At the same time, a "new paradigm of Chinese-style urban-rural better life" is promoted in Xinyang to develop more innovative and cutting-edge new explorations of future human settlements in sectors of urban-rural community construction.

In order to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's goal and requirement of "building a better old revolutionary base area and making people in the old area live a better life" and to accelerate revitalization of the old area, Xinyang City has determined to vigorously develop the Human Settlement Science-tech industry, promote the construction of the first "Future Human Settlement Science City" in China and shape the city brand of "finding quality life in Xinyang".

The "Simple Guiding Principles for Rural Future Communities in China" was approved by the China International Association for Promotion of Science and Technology, officially released and filed on the information platform of national group standards of SAC in June 2021. It is the first national group standard in the field of building "rural future communities" as well as the first standardization document focusing on community construction dimension to promote rural revitalization. A launching meeting for the Standard was held at the Meeting Room of Lianhua International Rural Future Community in Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province on September 29, 2021.

In 2021, SUC Programme became a project officially endorsed by UNDESA with Project Serial No. #SDGAction33492. It was also listed in the good practices of SDGs by UNDESA for promotion throughout the world.

SUC Guidelines was introduced in the 13th Intergovernmental Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Forum in Asia. Cases were also shared on the topic of “Transportation Accessibility and Urban Sustainable Development”. From 2021, we will summarize the practices and results of pilot cities and communities gained at the early stage, initiating the SUC Decade of Action Initiative.

Quzhou Indicators System and Development Guidelines for Rural Future Communities developed by the SUC Project Management Center was officially released in Quzhou, Zhejiang. It is the country’s first standard for the construction of future rural communities. “Future rural communities” was clearly defined for the first time.

In Presence of Richard RASI, Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia, and Sha Zukang, Former UN Under-Secretary-General, the signing ceremony for the establishment of China Centre of Spectra Centre of Excellence EU was successfully proceeded.

On October 28-31, 2019, the 12th Intergovernmental Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Forum was held in Hanoi, Vietnam. China SUC Institute and JCEP were invited by the UN as the official partner and supporter of the forum. Several communities in Quzhou were listed as pilot of SUC Guidelines, marking the start of construction of the “International Future Communities”. 

MoHURD passed the proposal promoting SUC Guidelines in China by issuing a letter of reply and copied it to the General Office of the State Council in September 2019. In the letter, MoHURD confirmed to support the promotion and application of SUC Guidelines in China and the Belt and Road countries as well as put forward plans on the follow-up work to practice the new development principles, advance the Belt and Road Initiative and realize the targets related to human settlement in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The 2019 International Forum on Building Future Communities was held in Quzhou, Zhejiang. Discussion was made on building the world’s first international future community model in Quzhou under the guidance of SUC Guidelines. The full version of SUC Guidelines was released in China. The China-Australia Joint Research Center for Future Communities and the Quzhou Institute for Sustainable Cities and Communities were set up. The forum also witnessed the preparatory launching ceremony of the country’s first international future community industry alliance, which was attended by dozens of leading companies and high-quality suppliers in the fields of smart industry, green building, community operation platform, energy, health, education.

The first International Conference on Sustainable Development was held in Cairo, Egypt on 15 December, 2018. During the event, the Evaluation Criteria, Management System and Implementation Pathways for Sustainable Cities and Communities/ SUC Guidelines, was released. It is the first international standards from the UN for implementing SDG11. More than 400 guests from relevant UN agencies and more than 20 countries attended the meeting. The former UN Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang announced the official release of SUC Guidelines.

Zhejiang started constructing future community pilots and adopted the seven primary indicators of SUC Guidelines in materials for training on developing future community pilots. Quzhou became the first city in the province to introduce SUC Guidelines to construct future community pilots.

On July 18-19, 2018, Sha Zukang visited the international community in Yueyang Dongting and attended the release conference of the indicator system and strategy report on the sustainable development of Dongting international community.

The 9th UN World Urban Forum (WUF 9) was held in Kuala Lumpur. During the Forum, 3 SUC demonstration cities and 3 SUC demonstration communities including Yantian District of Shenzhen, Quzhou City of Zhejiang Province, and Yan'an City of Shaanxi Province were announced globally and the session for international exchanges was held. 

Co-initiated and co-organized by the China Office of SUC Programme, the inaugural meeting of the “International Standardized Sustainable City Club” was held in Hangzhou. Nearly 20 cities in China, UK, France, Brazil, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Morocco and other countries joined the Club, forming a comprehensive platform for international cooperation on urban sustainable development.

The “International Forum on Sustainable Development of Energy (LNG)” was jointly organized by SUC, the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development and the International Energy Agency. It officially announced that the “international benchmark of green, smart and sustainable communities and urban areas with 100 percent clean energy” will be built under the framework of SUC Programme.

During the 2016 SUC Sustainable Cities and Communities Development Forum held in Shenzhen Low Carbon City, the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Cities and Communities and Management Process framework were released. SUC partners and how the programme will be implemented in pilots are explained. MoUs were signed by cities including Beijing, Shenzhen, Zhanjiang, Sanming and central enterprises including and China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group.

Chairman of SUC Programme Management Committee Arab Hoballah and Executive Director of SUC Programme attended the official side event of COP21, and submitted to the organizing committee the framework of SUC Evaluation Criteria and Management Process. The revised version of the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Cities and Communities were explained and SUC Management Process was released. The event also witnessed the establishment of SUC Alliance with some of its initiators. 

President Xi Jinping attended the UN Sustainable Development Summit, during which the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was unanimously adopted by the 193 member states of the UN. The agenda, with 17 goals at its heart, provides guidance for the development of countries worldwide in the coming 15 years. “Sustainable Cities and Communities” , listed as the 11th goal, aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

A video speech was given by Achim Steiner during the release conference held in Beijing. He announced plans of the Programme and spoke highly of works done by various stakeholders. Sha Zukang was elected as Honorary President of SUC Programme. China SUC Institute was also established.

According to the 11th goal of the 2030 Agenda, UNEP and SUC Programme Management Center launched the SUC Programme. Decision was made among professionals from UN-Habitat, Chinese ministries and commissions, and other countries to develop SUC Guidelines. Klaus Töepfer, former UN Under-Secretary-General was invited to be the General Consultant of SUC Programme. 

Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals passed the draft of SDGs. “Sustainable Cities and Communities” was listed as the 11th goal.

The United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in Brazil with the then UN Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang serving as Secretary General. The summit adopted the SDGs in place of the Millennium Development Goals, pointing out direction for the development of all countries after 2015.

SUC Programme Management Center was officially established in Beijing responsible for the preparation, promotion and implementation of SUC Programme.

UNEP sighed MoU with Jia Cui (China) Environmental Promotive Center (JCEP) to implement SUC Programme.

In June 2009, SUC Programme was jointly initiated by the UNEP and representatives of renowned Chinese enterprises including Jiacui (China) Environmental Promotion Center (JCEP), industry associations and environmental organizations during the special session held in the UNEP headquarters Nairobi.