On January 27, 2021, the South Africa - China Seminar on China-South Africa Urban-Rural Development Planning was successfully co-hosted under the Belt and Road Framework by the Department of International Cooperation of China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China Center for Urban Development (CCUD), and Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs of South Africa.

NTNU Smart Sustainable Cities research group is expanding its team with three new positions.

Shi Yulong, Director of the China Center for Urban Development (CCUD), held a courtesy meeting with Yang Rong, Inter-Regional Adviser of UN-Habitat, Zhang Zhenshan, Representative of UN-Habitat in China, and Professor Cao Huhua, Co-chairman of the International Conference on Canadian, Chinese and African Sustainable Urbanization (ICCCASU), on the morning of October 25, 2018.

Shi Yulong, Director of the China Center for Urban Development (CCUD), held talks with Clare Fearnley, New Zealand's new ambassador to China, and Rebekah Mawson, Economic Counselor of the New Zealand Embassy in China, on the afternoon of October 24, 2018.