The fourth Beijing Forum on Responding Quickly to Public Complaints will take place in October 2026, focusing on the theme "The Era of Digital Intelligence and the People's City." The event will bring together representatives from cities and Chinese and foreign researchers to exchange ideas on urban governance. A series of results will be published, including emblematic case studies of urban governance worldwide. This platform will facilitate international dialogue and exchange.
Beijing's "Responding Quickly to Public Complaints" reform uses a hotline to restructure the urban governance system. According to the Beijing municipal government's website, the 12345 citizen service line has handled 180 million requests in seven years. The resolution rate has increased from 53.1% to 97.3%, and the satisfaction rate has risen from 64.6% to 97.7%. The "One Theme per Month" mechanism, introduced in 2021, identifies recurring difficulties and common issues, leading to targeted actions.
In contrast, Paris has adopted a different approach, promoting the concept of a "15-minute city." This idea, championed by Anne Hidalgo, aims to enable citizens to meet their essential daily needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. The model relies on a redesign of urban space, including wider sidewalks, open schoolyards, and mixed-use development. This approach prioritizes urban planning and spatial organization.
A documentary series, "Ca bouge en ville!" explores urban governance in China and France. The first episode, "Du nouveau dans les hutongs," showcases a smart restaurant in a traditional Beijing neighborhood. The restaurant uses automation and serves 400-500 people daily, with most dishes priced under 10 yuan. This example illustrates a "decentralized service" approach, where governance resources are allocated to local communities.
The European model of the "15-minute city" emphasizes functional mixity, combining housing, work, commerce, education, healthcare, and leisure activities. In Paris, transforming riverbank roads into promenades and opening schoolyards to the public exemplify this approach. Both governance models aim to address the question: "What should a neighborhood offer its residents?" They converge on the idea that basic urban units should meet daily needs.
Both China and France have implemented solutions to support vulnerable populations. In Beijing, the Rainbow Angel café employs exclusively deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, providing training and autonomy. France has institutionalized inclusion through laws, such as the SRU law, which requires communes to ensure 20-25% of social housing. These approaches differ, with China focusing on service provision and France addressing structural causes of exclusion.
The dialogue between China and France on urban governance has evolved from general principles to concrete applications and solutions. The 2025 China-France Mayors' Table Ronde discussed "Sino-French Cooperation: Artificial Intelligence for Local Administration." This exchange highlights the value of mutual learning and cultural exchange in addressing common urban governance challenges.
Key points
- Urban governance models in China and France prioritize meeting citizens' daily needs
- Beijing's "Responding Quickly to Public Complaints" reform has achieved significant success
- The "15-minute city" concept promotes functional mixity and urban planning
