A two-day international symposium, the Beijing Forum on the “Prompt Response to Public Complaints” mechanism, opened in Beijing on October 12. The forum was jointly organized by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), China Media Group (CMG), and the Beijing Municipal Committee and Municipal People`s Government. Yin Li, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, attended the opening ceremony. Keynote addresses were delivered by Shen Haixiong, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and President of CMG, alongside Gao Xiang, President of CASS.

In his keynote remarks, Secretary Yin Li noted that General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches paramount importance to urban development, championing a people-centered development philosophy and upholding the foundational premise that "a city built by the people should serve the people." Yin highlighted President Xi’s vision that cities should possess not merely physical scale and vertical height, but genuine social warmth, leveraging modern technological innovation adeptly to realize intelligent, humancentric development. This guidance provides a scientific blueprint for urban governance. As a vibrant, modern international metropolis, Beijing inherently encounters multifaceted challenges and complex demands in municipal administration. To address residents` pressing needs and immediate concerns more effectively, Beijing launched the “Prompt Response to Public Complaints” reform in 2019. Driven by the 12345 Citizen Service Hotline alongside integrated digital portals, this mechanism operates 24/7 to receive civic appeals and inquiries within a closed-loop resolution workflow. To date, the system has resolved approximately 200 million public complaints. Powered by big data and artificial intelligence, this governance architecture proactively diagnoses underlying structural problems from high-volume inquiries, pivoting municipal operations from passive reaction to proactive governance and making public policymaking more evidence-based and municipal services markedly more efficient. Moving forward, Beijing will continue to deepen the reform of the "Prompt Response to Public Complaints" mechanism and refine this distinctive Beijing model of modern urban governance. Guided by a people-first ethos, the municipality will broaden channels for public expression, expedite resolutions to civic concerns, enhance investments in public well-being, and build an inclusive public service system spanning every citizen’s full lifecycle—working collectively to forge a harmonious, livable, and beautiful urban home.

In his address, Shen Haixiong highlighted that in recent years, Beijing has thoroughly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core concept of building a "People`s City." Through digital innovation, Beijing has accurately mapped and anticipated high-frequency citizen demands and systemic issues, ensuring rapid institutional response and targeted remediation. CMG serves not only as a chronicler and chronicling witness to Beijing`s journey in building a people-centric metropolis, but also as an active participant and contributor. Leveraging its media platforms, CMG continues to communicate the compassionate warmth of people-first urban governance directly to audiences worldwide.

During the opening proceedings, Anacláudia Rossbach, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), Luis Vassy, Director of Sciences Po Paris, and Georgios Giannaros, First Deputy Mayor of Athens, delivered speeches in person or via video link. They collectively underscored that urban administration has become a foremost global priority for municipal governments and policy planners worldwide. Digital transformation presents cities with pragmatic avenues to elevate the caliber of public services, expand civic engagement, and better fulfill community aspirations. Technology delivers its greatest value when it serves all members of society equitably. In resolving public grievances swiftly, Beijing`s reforms and the efficient execution of the 12345 hotline offer valuable, replicable insights for global urban management.

The forum spans an opening ceremony, a plenary assembly, six parallel sessions, four thematic salons, and a closing ceremony. Ancillary activities include the screening of the documentary Beijing Hotline 2—chronicling the “Prompt Response to Public Complaints” mechanism—alongside field visits to the 12345 Beijing Municipal Citizen Hotline Service Center and diverse urban study tours. The symposium garnered significant global attention, drawing more than 3,200 delegates, including over 230 international guests from more than 70 nations.

Source: Lily, Alim, Swarna | China Media Group (CMG)