Digital News

　　An increasing number of traffic lights are adapting to traffic flow, greatly improving the efficiency of citizens’ travel. As government digital platforms continue to improve, more tasks can be processed digitally, sparing citizens the trouble of handling them in person. Additionally, more and more communities are becoming smarter and more people-oriented, understanding residents’ needs and effectively addressing their concerns...

　　The recent Central Urban Work Conference outlined the goal of building modern cities of the people that are innovative, desirable to live in, beautiful, resilient, culturally advanced, and smart. It also emphasized the development of a “convenient and efficient smart city” as a key priority in urban planning. Digital and intelligent technologies are flourishing today, propelling the digital transformation and smart development of cities. This effectively supports the efficient operation and precise governance of cities, offering citizens a higher quality of life with more tailored and thoughtful services.

　　Digital and Intelligent Technologies Drive Efficient Urban Operations

　　Recently, the number of vehicles waiting at traffic lights on Jiannan Avenue in Chengdu High-tech Zone, heading out of the city, has decreased. In the past, this stretch of road often experienced heavy traffic and frequent congestion. With the implementation of the AI traffic light control system, traffic lights now automatically adjust the green light durations for both main and secondary roads based on real-time traffic flow, transitioning from a “car-driven” system to a “light-driven” one as vehicles pass through intersections. Presently, the congestion level at this intersection during the morning rush hour has dropped by an average of 4.23%, while the hourly traffic throughput has risen by 16%.

　　The intelligent upgrade of urban transportation infrastructure is fueling the rapid advancement of smart transportation and logistics, ensuring smooth travel for people and efficient flow of goods.

　　In Qingdao, Shandong, sanitation workers now have “AI-powered colleagues.” This year, Qingdao has advanced the mechanization, intelligence, and automation of its sanitation operations. The driverless street sweepers, equipped with Level 4 self-driving technology, can navigate complex outdoor environments. Leveraging self-developed algorithms, they can assess road conditions in real time, ensuring the safety of both pedestrians and vehicles. With an 8-hour operating range, the sweepers can automatically charge, refill water, and dump rubbish, completing the entire process from task assignment and sweeping to returning without human intervention.

　　“Digital and intelligent technologies are being rapidly applied across all sectors of urban construction. By covering the entire population, all periods, all elements, and the entire process, these technologies are transforming and upgrading urban smart services. With multi-faceted elements, digital technologies are comprehensively propelling urban development toward more human-centric, intelligent, and convenient objectives,” stated Shan Zhiguang, Director-General of the Informatization and Industry Development Department of the State Information Center.

　　Safety is the foundation of urban development. As we enter the flood season from late July to early August, the city’s ability to prevent waterlogging is a real test of its underlying infrastructure and resilience. Lifeline safety projects for critical urban infrastructure, such as gas, bridges, water supply, drainage, heating, and integrated utility tunnels, are a vital part of the urban renewal initiative. By harnessing technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and AI, this initiative establishes “an integrated network” for urban infrastructure lifelines. Through real-time monitoring and dynamic analysis, potential hazards can be identified early, shifting the approach from passive responses to proactive prevention and control, thereby greatly improving the city’s safety and operational reliability.

　　Leveraging its urban lifeline safety monitoring system, Kaifeng City in Henan has built a smart emergency command center that is both intelligent and operations-focused, significantly enhancing the city’s ability to deal with all kinds of emergencies. In its flood prevention efforts, Kaifeng has adopted new approaches and methods such as technology-driven solutions, remote monitoring, and intelligent flood prevention. Through centralized command and dispatching as well as coordinated accountability, the city has established a new flood prevention model defined by clear responsibilities, streamlined mechanisms, well-trained teams, solid infrastructure, and swift response capabilities.

　　Digital and Intelligent Technologies Empower Precision Urban Governance

　　Urban governance entails a wide array of complex responsibilities. Enhancing a city’s livability, business environment, employment friendliness, and tourism appeal is key to improving the people’s sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. General Secretary Xi Jinping once pointed out that “We should utilize big data, cloud computing, blockchain, AI, and other cutting-edge technologies to innovate in the methods, models, and visions of urban management. Moving from digitalization to intelligence and ultimately to smarter cities is the only way to modernize urban governance systems and capabilities, with great potential ahead.” This provides clear guidance for fully leveraging digital and intelligent technologies to make urban governance more scientific, refined, and intelligent.

　　“Every time I tried to come up with a name on my own, it was already taken. But with the help of AI, I instantly got one that met all the requirements. It was incredibly convenient,” said Mr. Qiu, an individual business owner, as he received Guangzhou’s first business license issued through the “AI Assistant” service from a staff member at the Huangshi Market Regulation Office under the Baiyun District Administration for Market Regulation, Guangzhou City. According to reports, the “AI Assistant” service area leverages AI technology to overcome traditional bottlenecks in business registration, making it easier to establish and upgrade individual businesses and injecting new vitality into the development of market entities.

　　Today, nearly all cities at the prefecture level and above in China have essentially established digital urban management platforms, with most having upgraded them with intelligent capabilities. A wide range of offline services has moved online, and innovative models of government services, such as “contactless approval,” “one-stop processing,” and “instant approval,” are now widely adopted.

　　Hangzhou’s City Brain is actively embracing cutting-edge AI technologies and has become the first in the country to deploy the DeepSeek-R1 series of models, equipping the city with a self-evolving “digital heart.” According to reports, Hangzhou is developing a megacity intelligent agent and exploring innovative systems for smart and efficient urban governance. Digital Government 2.0 focuses on data-driven, scenario-based services. Through process reengineering, intelligent approvals, and data sharing, it provides technological support for “one-stop government services.” Leveraging intelligent agents such as “Hangzhengmi,” “Hangminxing,” and “Xiaohangjia,” along with the “Economic Operation Large Model,” it promotes the upgrade of government services from simply “being handled” to “being handled more easily and processed intelligently.”

　　“A smart city fundamentally uses modern digital and intelligent technologies such as AI, blockchain, big data, IoT, and cloud computing to reshape and transform traditional urban governance and service models. This approach maximizes the use of data and information while minimizing energy consumption, regulatory constraints, and disaster risks, ultimately delivering greater benefits to the public,” said Shan Zhiguang. As smart city development continues to advance, operational models should shift from supply-driven approaches to ones centered on people’s needs. Service models must also evolve from doing one’s best to being ubiquitous and meticulously responsive, thereby effectively bridging data and application gaps.

　　Digital and Intelligent Technologies Empower a Better Life for the People

　　“Upholding the principle that cities should be built by the people and for the people” and “shifting the focus of urban development toward a more people-centered approach”—the Central Urban Work Conference has placed people at the heart of urban development.

　　In Shenyang, the hotline 12345 has long evolved beyond a simple complaint-handling platform. It now serves as a crucial bridge between technological innovation and public needs, as well as between data-driven intelligence and effective governance. With the thorough integration of the hotline into community grids, a vast number of public service requests are promptly resolved at the community level, achieving the goal that “minor issues are handled within the grid, while major issues are addressed within the community.” The hotline 12345 uses digital technology as its brush and public livelihood issues as its ink, painting precise, efficient, and compassionate strokes on the canvas of urban governance.

　　Technology is transforming into real, tangible happiness for the people living in the city. “I’ve been feeling dizzy recently. Should I see an internist or a neurologist?” “What do these medical terms on my test results and imaging reports mean?” In Beijing, these common concerns are being effectively addressed. Large models and other digital and intelligent technologies have infused Beijing’s unified appointment registration platform with advanced capabilities, enabling seamless intelligent services throughout the entire process—before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment. “Intelligent Guidance” acts like an online nurse, offering patients department recommendations and registration assistance to reduce misregistration; the “Report Interpretation” feature translates medical terminology into plain language to help patients understand their test results; and “Intelligent Priority Registration” creates a fast track for critical patients by using AI to assess their condition and allocate medical resources reasonably, seamlessly integrating smart healthcare services into urban life.

　　In Fuzhou, Sanfang Qixiang is the cradle of history, the root of culture, and a vibrant hub of cultural heritage. Through digital empowerment, the information and communications industry has achieved full network coverage across Sanfang Qixiang, enabling smart shops and the intelligent preservation of ancient buildings. By harnessing AR and 5G technologies, a digital “metaverse” district is taking shape in Sanfang Qixiang—enhancing service quality and user experience with scientific and technological means while offering residents and visitors an entirely new experience. While preserving its ancient architecture, Sanfang Qixiang, as an iconic symbol of Fuzhou, is also embracing digital innovation, allowing its thousand-year cultural legacy and historical charm to endure and thrive with renewed vitality.

　　“A city is a complex mega-system. When addressing urban challenges, institutional mechanisms often respond with a certain delay, whereas technology is well positioned to provide timely, low-cost, precise, and systematic solutions that meet people’s aspirations for a better life,” said He Yanling, Wu Yuzhang Chair Professor at Renmin University of China. She noted that building a modern city of the people requires the integration of three new governance models: digital governance, intelligent governance, and good governance. “Digital governance” serves as the foundation, focusing on harnessing data to make governance more scientific and efficient. “Intelligent governance” represents a further advancement, emphasizing the need to align technological applications closely with the specific needs of the people and to employ intelligent means to create accessible platforms for public participation, ensuring that technological empowerment truly serves and benefits the people. “Good governance” is the ultimate goal, striving for equitable and inclusive urban development by combining technological empowerment with a demand-driven approach, ultimately building a livable city that fulfills the aspirations of its residents.

　　A city is a crucial vehicle for modernization. As we embark on the new journey to build a modern city of the people, digital and intelligent technologies will be more comprehensively and deeply integrated into urban governance as well as the people’s daily lives and production, making the city smarter, more intelligent, and more user-friendly, ultimately driving high-quality urban development.