What can Beijing's wisdom in urban governance offer to the world?

An undated photo of the Beijing Citizen Service Hotline Center, which operates around the clock.

Beijing's experience suggests that the future of smart urban governance depends as much on institutions and collaboration as on technology.

Beijing's 12345 citizen service hotline represents an important experiment in making government more accessible and responsive.

New York follows a horizontal mode of collaboration, with technology-oriented leadership, a relatively fragmented institutional framework and contractual cooperation among city agencies.

International guests visit the Beijing Citizen Hotline Service Center to learn about the city's "Swift Response to Public Complaints" reform, Beijing, China, June 26, 2026.