On the afternoon of November 10, Wei Xiaodong, Chairman of the CPPCC Beijing Municipal Committee and Head of the “Swift Response to Public Complaints” Reform Working Group of the Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, met with Omar Razzaz, former Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Jordan and Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Wei stated that Chinese modernization is people-centered. Recently, the 20th Central Committee of the CPC convened its fourth plenary session, where participants deliberated over and adopted the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development. The recommendations outline a grand blueprint for China’s economic and social development over the next five years, and emphasize that citizen hotlines and other public service platforms should function more effectively, so that all public concerns are attended to. Following the important principle that “the city should be built by the people and for the people”, Beijing has been deepening the reform for “swift response to public complaints”. Through the “one topical issue per month” mechanism, the city proactively addresses potential complaints before they are raised and resolves pressing concerns of the people. Through these efforts, a model of modern governance for super-large cities driven by citizen needs has been established, providing a “Beijing Solution” for global urban governance. Wei emphasized that Beijing will continue to uphold a people-centered approach, leverage modern technologies such as big data to further deepen the reform for “swift response to public complaints”, and proactively strengthen governance by prioritizing citizens’ concerns. The city will also collaborate with renowned experts and scholars both in China and abroad to conduct theoretical studies, exchange experiences with other cities through mechanisms such as the sister-city dialogue, and deepen communication and cooperation to build shared values. In this way, the high-quality outcomes of urban development can better benefit the people.

Omar noted that China plays a unique and leading role in urban governance. Beijing’s “swift response to public complaints” initiative has achieved remarkable results in listening to citizens and addressing their needs in a timely manner. In particular, its use of data analytics and proactive response mechanisms have opened new pathways for urban governance, offering valuable and advanced experience for cities worldwide. He expressed his readiness to work with Beijing to deepen theoretical research and practical exploration through dialogue and exchange, contributing to the improvement of global urban governance.

Han Yu, Secretary General of the CPPCC Beijing Municipal Committee, attended the meeting.