There is a dilemma for rapid industrializing China to balance economic growth and low carbonization. Industrial symbiosis (IS) provides a system innovation to utilize the industry to fight climate change and pursue sustainable urban development, while few attentions are paid in literatures. Under this circumstance, this study reviews the low-carbon city practice in China and conducts a case study to calculate the CO2 emissions reduction potential under promoting IS projects in two cities of China, named Jinan and Liuzhou. With the real national project in Jinan as advanced example, new scenarios related to IS are designed for Liuzhou, including comprehensive energy network, waste plastics recycling, scrap tires recycling and flying ash recycling. The material/waste and energy exchange is quantified in the IS network, as well as the related environmental benefit. The material/energy exchange is over 10 million ton and 20 thousands tce in Jinan's case, and 2.5 million ton and 45 thousand tce in Liuzhou's case. Results highlight that IS could effectively reduce CO2 emissions. The total reduction potential amounts to 3944.05 thousands tCO(2)/year and 2347.88 thousands tCO(2)/year in Jinan and Liuzhou. Finally, policy implications on the ever-improvement of industrial symbiosis and China's sustainable urban development are proposed and discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.