The fourth Beijing Forum on Responding Quickly to Public Complaints is set to 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 exchanges.
China's approach to urban governance involves using a hotline to restructure the system. The 12345 citizen service line in Beijing has handled 180 million requests in seven years, with a resolution rate increasing from 53.1% to 97.3% and a satisfaction rate rising from 64.6% to 97.7%. The "One Theme per Month" mechanism, introduced in 2021, identifies recurring difficulties and common issues, enabling targeted actions.
In contrast, France adopts a different approach, focusing on urban planning. The concept of the "15-minute city" has gained popularity, championed by Anne Hidalgo, the former mayor of Paris. The idea is to allow citizens to meet their essential daily needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. This model relies on redesigning urban spaces, including wider sidewalks, open schoolyards, and mixed-use developments.
A documentary series, "Life in the City," explores urban governance in China and France. The first episode, "New Developments in Hutongs," showcases an intelligent 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 "bottom-up" approach to governance.
The European model of the "15-minute city" emphasizes functional mixity, combining housing, work, commerce, education, healthcare, and leisure. In Paris, transforming riverbank roads into promenades and opening schoolyards to the public are examples of "layering functions in space." Both governance models aim to address the question of what a neighborhood should offer its residents.
Both China and France prioritize supporting vulnerable populations. A Beijing café, Rainbow Angel, exclusively employs deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, providing training and autonomy. France has institutional frameworks, such as the SRU law, which requires communes to ensure 20-25% of social housing for populations over 3,500.
The dialogue between China and France on urban governance has shifted from general principles to concrete applications and solutions. The 2025 mayoral roundtable discussion focused on AI in local administration, highlighting the potential for mutual learning and exchange between the two nations.
Key points
- Urban governance models in China and France offer distinct approaches to addressing citizen needs.
- China's "Responding Quickly to Public Complaints" reform has achieved significant success in Beijing.
- The "15-minute city" concept has gained popularity in France as a model for urban planning.
