Xi'an showcases smart city governance model

Guests attending the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue pose for a photo during a welcoming performance in Xi'an,西班牙国内新闻网 Shaanxi province, on Tuesday. ZHAI XIAOXUE/FOR CHINA DAILY

Mayors and government officials representing seven countries shared insights on digitalization and efficiency in modern city governance at the recently concluded 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

The participants from Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Iraq, Tunisia and New Zealand learned about Xi'an's experience through an on-site visit during the three-day event that ended on Wednesday.

At the 12345 citizen service hotline center, participants learned about the round-the-clock model for receiving consultations, complaints, reports, assistance requests and suggestions from the public, and providing rapid responses through coordination among multiple government departments.

In 2025, the hotline received about 5.8 million requests, with a case completion rate of 99.8 percent and a public satisfaction rate of 97.5 percent, according to local authorities.

Elmoula Abdelbaki, director of municipal affairs of Tozeur Governorate in Tunisia, said the hotline features rapid response, quality service and high efficiency.

"It fully embodies the people-centered governance philosophy and serves as a successful model for urban public services and grassroots governance," he said, adding that he hopes to introduce the model in Tunisia to improve civil services and enhance cooperation with China in grassroots governance.

At the Xi'an traffic command hall, real-time road network data, traffic signal status, congestion points and police patrol trajectories were displayed on a giant screen, showcasing the city's smart governance system.

Elsawy Abdelrahem, professor of philosophy at Benha University in Egypt and a coordinator for Egyptian-Chinese relations, said Xi'an has a sophisticated and widely applied smart mobility system with "remarkable achievements in traffic congestion relief, emergency rescue and public convenience services".

Given the urgent demand for urban traffic development in Arab countries, he said there is a strong expectation for deeper cooperation with China in smart transportation.

Combining their own urban practices, participants exchanged ideas on digital-enabled governance, technology-driven improvements in livelihoods and precise, efficient public services.

Goran Rasheed Muhamad, director of the foreign affairs office of the provincial government of Sulaymaniyah in Iraq, said Sulaymaniyah is leveraging digital technologies to monitor road conditions and advance transportation development.

In addition, it has streamlined urban transactions through various e-wallet services, enabling residents to access government services and pay official bills online, he said.

However, with the number of motor vehicles rising in recent years and placing increasing pressure on traffic management, the province urgently needs to draw on advanced experience from other regions.

"We aim to apply high and new technologies to empower urban construction and achieve more efficient urban governance. This will help enhance citizens' sense of happiness and satisfaction, for example, by alleviating road congestion. We also look forward to strengthening exchanges with China," he said.

Xiao Qi, vice-mayor of Xi'an, said the city has built a smart governance model featuring "full-domain perception, intelligent early warning and efficient data application".

"A technology-driven urban transformation is advancing across every corner of Xi'an. For example, intelligent devices on patrol vehicles enable AI visual recognition to detect road surface defects at the millimeter level. Digital sensors installed on urban bridges monitor structural health around the clock. Streetlights automatically adjust brightness according to traffic flow at night, providing illumination while saving energy," she said, adding that it is helping bring a more efficient, precise and intelligent urban life within reach.

Shady Yehia Elmashad, deputy governor of Beheira in Egypt, said digitalization is more than automation, it is a tool to increase resource efficiency and reduce waste.

Digital transformation, he said, is not a technological luxury but the fastest path to achieving sustainable development.