International visitors explore the historical Qilou Old Street in Haikou, Hainan province, May 26, 2026. [Photo provided to en.hainan.gov.cn]

The historical district renewal case of Qilou Old Street in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, has been included in the 2026 Global Report on Sustainable Community Development: Practices and Applications. The report was released on Nov 3 during the 2026 World Cities Day Global Conference on Sustainable Urban Development held in Shanghai.

Qilou Old Street is among 30 cases from around the world featured in the report. Listed as "China 03" in the China section, the case was selected under the "Civilized and Livable" category. It aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, which promotes sustainable cities and communities, and Goal 8, which promotes decent work and economic growth.

Centered on an approach known as "coexistence-oriented renewal", the case explores how historical heritage can be preserved while living conditions improve and neighborhood vitality is revitalized.

Qilou Old Street is home to China's largest and best-preserved cluster of arcade buildings in the Nanyang, or Southeast Asian, architectural style. With more than 600 years of urban history, the area was designated one of China's first National Historical and Cultural Streets in 2009.

Since launching a systematic conservation and renewal initiative, the old street has followed the principle of restoring old buildings to their original appearance. This approach seeks to balance heritage conservation, residents' daily lives and the vitality of the neighborhood.

The old street has assessed individual buildings and drawn up restoration plans accordingly. These included repairing arcade buildings, reinforcing unsafe buildings, separating rainwater and sewage systems, and upgrading utility networks to improve the overall living environment.

To address fragmented property ownership and reshape the local business mix, the old street has consolidated assets and adopted flexible approaches to property rights. While retaining the area's traditional street life, it has introduced boutique guesthouses, cultural and creative spaces, a concentration of time-honored brands, and venues for intangible cultural heritage experiences and related consumption.

The historical district has also established a multi-stakeholder governance mechanism, bringing urban management, market regulation and community services into a coordinated consultation platform. This helps balance tourism development with the housing interests of long-term residents, encouraging them to take an active role in maintaining and improving their neighborhood rather than remaining passive recipients of the renewal process.

Unlike enclosed tourist attractions, Qilou Old Street has retained its everyday community life while enhancing its appeal to visitors. This has helped guard against the hollowing-out of historical neighborhoods caused by excessive commercialization. In recent years, annual visitor numbers have risen from several million to more than 10 million, alongside progress in heritage conservation, improvements to the living environment and the revitalization of the local economy.

The case highlights Haikou's efforts in restoring historical buildings, improving the living environment, adjusting the business mix, and strengthening community governance. It demonstrates how heritage conservation can go hand in hand with better living conditions for residents and renewed neighborhood vitality, offering practical insights for the sustainable renewal of historical districts in China and beyond.