The 2023 BRICS Urbanization Forum was held in Durban, South Africa from July 26 to 27, 2023.  Qin Haixiang，Vice Minister of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development of China led a delegation to attend the forum and participate in a series of activities. Mr. Zheng Degao, Vice President of China Academy of Urban Planning&Design, led a team of experts from CAUPD to participate in the meeting and related activities. The theme of this forum is "Improving Urban Resilience and Building Sustainable Cities". The heads of competent departments and experts and scholars from the BRICS participating countries conducted in-depth discussions on governance systems, action measures, experience cases, as well as specific areas such as sustainable development, addressing climate change, resilient cities, human settlements and infrastructure, and data utilization,further enhance mutual trust, build consensus, strengthen mutual learning, and expand cooperation.

Vice President Zheng Degao was invited to give a report titled "Building Resilience to Climate Change in the Context of Composite Disasters" at the "Building Urban Resilience and Responding to Climate Change" forum, introducing Chinas efforts and response plans in the constantly changing and complex situation, which received warm responses from representatives from participating countries.

According to the work arrangement, the delegation had academic exchanges with the South African Planning Institute (SAPI) and listened to the progress of related work on housing and urban renewal in South Africa. During the South African conference, the delegation investigated the development project of the Cornubia comprehensive settlement in Durban and the urban renewal project in the Durban port area. Officials from departments such as the Urban Water Affairs and Engineering Research Branch and the Academic Information Center of CAUPD attended the delegation of CAUPD.