Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun on Wednesday said the capital will work hard to slow rapid urban expansion in order to address traffic congestion, pollution and resource scarcity.
"We will make efforts to control Beijing's scale through economic, legal and administrative means," Wang said, without elaborating.
"The conflict between rapid population growth and limited resources is our city's growing pain," Wang said at a panel discussion held during the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.
Beijing's population has reached 20.6 million and is growing by about 600,000 people annually. The capital now has 5.2 million motor vehicles and the number is expected to reach 6.5 million in five years, the mayor said.
"The city can not expand in an uncontrolled way," said Wang, who is also an NPC deputy.