People-centered urban governance put in spotlight

Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints opens in national capital

The 2024 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints opens on Wednesday in the national capital, gathering more than 170 international guests to discuss complaint handling, urban governance, digital innovation and Chinese modernization.

Hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Media Group, the Beijing Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Beijing government, the two-day event centers around the theme "Modernizing for People-Centered Urban Governance".

Beijing introduced the Swift Response to Public Complaints mechanism in 2019 to enhance urban governance. A 24/7 public service hotline, known as the 12345 hotline, serves as the primary channel for residents to voice their concerns.

Once a complaint is filed, it is quickly directed to local authorities, relevant departments and public service companies for resolution, which is then assessed by the complainant.

The forum features a main session and six parallel sessions, exploring topics such as urban governance and Chinese modernization; digital intelligence and innovative urban governance; precise governance and new patterns of civilizations; and urban services and public participation.

The forum is expected to draw around 3,100 participants, including more than 170 international guests from over 40 countries. Among them are former heads of state, the deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, and senior officials from the United Nations Development Programme, UNESCO and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

Officials from cities including Athens, Madrid and Gaziantep, alongside academicians and experts from various countries, are joining the forum to discuss the direction and pathways of modernizing urban governance.

Domestic attendees include scholars, front-line workers, residents, business representatives, and officials from central government units and cities such as Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

During the forum, guests will have the opportunity to tour the Beijing Government Service Center, where the 12345 hotline is based, to learn about the city's technological advancements and grassroots governance practices.

The forum will see the release of the Compilation of Research Papers on Swift Response to Public Complaints in Beijing (2024). It comprises nine Chinese and 11 English papers that present theoretical innovations in Chinese urban governance and Beijing's urban governance cases.

Additionally, the Evaluation Report on Worldwide City Hotline Services and Governance Effectiveness (2024) will be unveiled, assessing 20 cities including Beijing, New York and Tokyo. Forty representative cases of urban governance from Chinese and international cities will be shared, highlighting innovative practices and diverse governance approaches within different cultural contexts.

Based on the discussions over the two days, the forum will issue the Beijing Declaration on Modernizing Urban Governance, contributing insights to the establishment of a global community with a shared future for cities.

At the closing ceremony, officials, front line workers and international delegates will exchange stories about complaint handling and discuss the theories and practices of urban governance modernization. The Youth Dialogue on Future Urban Governance Modernization will be held during the ceremony.

Before the forum, a documentary on the Swift Response to Public Complaints mechanism premiered on Tuesday, showcasing the development of the 12345 hotline through real stories and original hotline recordings. The film will be screened after Spring Festival in late January.

Over the past five years, Beijing has processed more than 150 million public complaints and requests. These range from installing elevators in old residential buildings to upgrading traffic lights and offering employment assistance. The Beijing government has recorded a resolution rate of 96.5 percent and a satisfaction rate of 96.9 percent.

With the permanent theme "People's City, Better Future", the Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints is dedicated to exploring innovative, practical solutions to public service challenges and exchanging experiences on urban governance. Previous editions of the forum were held in 2021 and 2022 in Beijing.

huyuyan@chinadaily.com.cn