20 Chinese cities including Beijing have been chosen as pilot cities under a nationwide urban design project, the government said in a new policy document.

The plan aims at promoting urban design and preserving the unique characteristics of the cities, and was released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) last month.

“China has a large number of diverse cities, but many of them have insufficient experience in urban design,” said the plan.

It also said that carrying out design works according to local conditions in certain cities could help the cities avoid looking identical in their urban development, and keep their unique historical value.

The plan regulates that an innovative management regime should be set up by each city to ensure the urban planning and design works are carried out smoothly.

It encourages exploring new technologies and preserving the historical layout of the cities.

Promoting transformation of the cities and improving living environments of citizens are also a major part of the regulations.

The project started in February and will last for two years.

Other cities under the urban design project include Harbin (capital of Heilongjiang province), Changchun (capital of Jilin province), Qingdao and Dongying (in Shandong province), as well as Nanjing and Suzhou (in Jiangsu province).