The urbanization rate of permanent residents in the city of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province will have reached 60 percent by the end of 2020, according to the city's Mayor Wang Zhongbing.

The mayor disclosed his goal during an interview with the Economic Daily, as the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress began in Beijing on March 5.

"We should focus on the people-centered principal to boost the development of new-type urbanization and to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas," said the mayor.

Wang revealed that the current urbanization rate of permanent residents in Zhanjiang had reached 40 percent and the city government will focus on public transportation to share those development benefits with more people who have transferred from rural areas.

During the interview, the mayor highlighted the development of compact blocks, providing necessary facilities to people's daily lives and breaking down the barriers between communities.

He also called for the construction of more non-stop green roads for cyclists and also expressed his desire for public transport to account for 40 percent of the transportation system in total.