2026 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints

The 2026 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints, jointly hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), China Media Group (CMG), and the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the Beijing Municipal People's Government, will be held from October 12 to 13 at the China National Convention Center. According to the press conference held on September 29, a series of outcomes will be released at the forum, including theoretical research results on the Swift Response to Public Complaints (SRPC) reform, evaluation reports on urban hotline services and governance effectiveness at both global and national levels, and typical cases of global urban governance.

Shen Binhua, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal People's Government and Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management, introduced that the forum, centred on the core value of "People's City, Better Future," has set its annual theme as "The Digital Intelligence Era and People's City." The number of guests expected to attend the forum exceeds 3,200, including more than 240 international guests from over 70 countries.

The themes of the six parallel forums are: "Refinement and Exquisiteness: Paradigms of Precision Governance and Urban Sustainability"; "Aspiration and Goodness: The Evolution of Good Governance and the Elevation of Urban Civilisation"; "Wisdom and Sharing: Digital Intelligence Empowerment and Urban Governance Modernization"; "Exchange and Integration: Collaborative Governance and Urban Openness and Inclusiveness"; "People-Centred Livelihood: People-Oriented and Demand-Driven New Forms of Urban Governance"; and "Joint Consultation and Co-Governance: Multi-Stakeholder Participation and the Urban Governance Community." "These topics are grounded in Beijing's practice of the SRPC reform while also responding to governance issues commonly faced by cities worldwide in the digital intelligence era, reflecting a distinct sense of the times and openness," said Shen Binhua.

A series of outcomes will be released at the forum, including theoretical research results on the SRPC reform, evaluation reports on urban hotline services and governance effectiveness at both global and national levels, and typical cases of global urban governance. Notably, this marks China's first publication of an English-language monograph on the SRPC reform and its first collaboration with a top international journal to launch a special English-language issue on the reform. These outcomes will further advance Beijing's SRPC reform from summarising experience to theoretical exposition, and from Chinese practice to international comparison, providing practical experience and theoretical support for global urban governance.

Zhang Yi, Director of the Institute for Capital Governance Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a Member of the Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, introduced that Theoretical Research Outcomes on the SRPC Reform brings together major academic papers by renowned scholars from home and abroad, including 12 in Chinese and 9 in English. The English-language monograph Why Is Urban Governance Like This? A Study Based on Beijing's Practice of the SRPC Reform comprises 12 articles and 4 case studies. "We hope these articles can comprehensively reflect the practical experience of megacities in the era of artificial intelligence leveraging hotline big data to drive governance modernisation, and distil a replicable and scalable 'People's City' governance model characterised by refined governance and deep public participation," said Zhang Yi.

The forum also extends its exchange space to the front lines of urban governance. Guests will be invited to "step into 12345" to experience the hotline's work processes and mechanisms on site, as well as practices and achievements such as digital intelligence empowerment. Salons will be held at representative governance sites such as hotline workplaces, AI communities, and old city conservation areas, with international guests, experts and scholars, grassroots workers, and citizen representatives invited to experience them first-hand and share their insights in a relaxed atmosphere. Five themes - Beijing Services, Urban Renewal, Panoramic Central Axis, Cultural and Historical Continuity, and Technological Innovation - have also been designed for city tours and inspections.

"Through these activities, we can combine the discussions and exchanges inside the venue with real-scene experiences in urban governance, allowing Chinese and international guests to gain a more intuitive understanding of the SRPC reform and experience Beijing's innovative development and openness and inclusiveness," Shen Binhua said.