BEIJING - A loud bang on a gong by former British prime minister Tony Blair and several other people signaled the start of a partnership on Monday between the Climate Group - an international climate action organization - and five Chinese cities that aims to blaze a new trail for low carbon development during the coming three years.

With more than 100 cities with a population of more than one million, China's cities are at the forefront of the fight against global climate change, said Mark Kenber, CEO of the Climate Group, at the launch of the "China Redesign" program.

It's urgent for cities to "switch from the old-style way of doing business to a new way, placing an emphasis on clean energy, energy efficiency, innovation, pioneering and new technology," Kenber said.