A Study on the Legislation of Territorial and Spatial Planning in Relation to Public Health Emergencies

ABSTRACT

The government's attention to and intervention in public health emergencies is one of the causes for the legislation on modern urban planning. It is now a critical period in the legislative formulation of China's territorial and spatial planning, which coincides with the unexpected onslaught of COVID-19. This study examines the relationship between public health emergencies and the legislations of territorial and spatial planning. It argues that the problems of spatial planning in response to public health emergencies primarily lie in the gaps between planning regulations and public health, emergency management, the overdue institutionalization of planning techniques, the lack of focus of planning legislations, etc. The legislation of territorial and spatial planning should be based on the governance of urban safety, health, and emergency service facilities, which aims to improve the emergency service facility system, the innovation of planning formulation technical system, and strengthen the responsiveness of planning to public health emergencies, so as to create high-quality, high-class, and resilient urban and rural spaces.