The Future of Services
New technologies streamline the administrative management in a hitech zone
Li Cheng is close to fulfilling his dream of starting his own business in the Optics Valley of China, situated in Wuhan, capital city of the central province of Hubei. All that he has left to do is to register his startup with the local government. Li logged on to the Optics Valley’s service account on Wechat, China’s premier social media app, and made an appointment for a convenient time. The system advised him of the required documents, the procedures and even the means of transport available. The next day, it took him just 30 minutes to file his application.
“With this online service, I don’t have to go to the Administrative Service Center like in the past. And by booking an appointment through a mobile app, I spared myself a long wait on queue,” the young entrepreneur said.
Launched in mid-november by the Management Committee of the Optics Valley, this new online service is part of
Wuhan’s efforts to streamline its procedures for public service. To achieve this goal, using new technologies, like big data and artificial intelligence (AI), has been essential.
Established in 1988, the Optics Valley is part of the first batch of national hi-tech zones approved by the State Council, China’s cabinet. Since its founding, it has pioneered administrative reforms to create a better business climate. In early 2014, it embarked on streamlining the administrative approval process, and since then, startups are no longer obliged to go to different departments to register. Now, all documents can be filed at a one-stop service counter at the service center, which is responsible for examining the files to see if they are complete before forwarding them to relevant departments.
“So far, our reform has focused on the integration of and coordination between various government departments, with positive results. We will continue this reform because room for maneuver will be limited if we continue with traditional methods,” said Gong Xueyi, Deputy Director of the center.
The valley will also create a platform to gather data from different departments and then design a smart administration system, stressing that the digitalization of the administrative service is the first step, according to Gong, who is also deputy director of the Bureau of Big Data of the Optics Valley.
“With the smart system, we want to further streamline the approval process. It will enable our customers to have an experience similar to online shopping,” he added.
Another advantage of the new online service is that it is more resource-efficient. For example, with precise data regarding how many people it needs to serve, enough counters can be arranged at the administrative service center in advance to meet demand.
Chen Jie is a resident of the Optics Valley. He found that a manhole cover near his home had been removed, causing a potential danger to residents. Before, there were few channels for him to file a complaint for a solution to such a problem. But now, a single hotline, which connects to an AI administration network, can quickly respond his complaint. This network can sort and prioritize what complaints should be dealt with first, and pass on the information to relevant departments in a timely manner.
Currently, the city has put in place three levels of management: district, neighborhood and community. In Chen’s case, the network passes on his complaint to his community. If the request is beyond its responsibility, it will submit it to the neighborhood administrators, and so on, until it reaches the right competent department. “By doing this, we seek to solve the problems of residents and businesses as quickly as possible,” said Gong.
For Gong, the success of this platform will be the cornerstone of smart city construction. With many different demands from communities, the platform takes into account all aspects of municipal governance, including public security, taxation, civil affairs, trade and industry. To be operational, it is necessary for all government departments to act together and share their data. “If this reform is completed, we will not be far from e-governance, and therefore a smart city,” Gong concluded.
The annual Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing from December 10 to 12, as Chinese leaders charted course for the economy in 2020.
In a speech at the conference, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviewed the country’s economic work in 2019, analyzed the current situation and outlined key tasks for 2020.
The meeting was also attended by Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Facing the complicated situation of mounting risks and challenges at home and abroad in 2019, China has maintained sustained and sound economic and social development and made key breakthroughs in the “three tough battles” against major risks, poverty and pollution, seeing notable progress in targeted poverty reduction, effective prevention and control of financial risks, and general improvement in the environment, according to a statement released after the conference.
Meanwhile, the country’s progress in achieving the major tasks of the 13th Five-year Plan (2016-20) met expectations, and new major steps have been made toward finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
“The root cause is that we have upheld the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, maintained strategic resolve, kept pursuing progress while ensuring stability, deepened reform and opening up, and given full play to the enthusiasm of central and local governments,” the statement said.
“While fully acknowledging our achievements, we must see that China is at a pivotal stage of transforming its growth model, improving its economic structure, and fostering new drivers of growth,” the statement said.
The country faces rising downward economic pressure amid intertwined structural, institutional and cyclical problems, according to the statement.
The global economy continues to slow down, the world is still undergoing in-depth adjustments due to the global financial crisis, profound changes are accelerating, and sources of turbulence have substantially increased, the statement said. “We need to be well prepared with contingency plans.”
Given this situation, the conference pointed out that the basic trend of the Chinese economy maintaining steady growth toward longterm sound development remains unchanged.
“We can overcome all risks and challenges,” the statement said.
To achieve the expected targets for 2020, China will make ensuring stability a top priority, and uphold the policy framework of stable macro policies, flexible micro policies, and social policies that ensure basic needs are met.
The conference underscored sustained vigorous efforts in deepening supply-side structural reform, and ensuring reasonable growth and steady improvement of the economy.
The meeting mapped out major economic tasks for the next year.
It stressed unwavering implementation of the new development philosophy to promote high-quality development, calling on governments at all levels to adopt a comprehensive and holistic approach.
The meeting called for resolute efforts in the “three tough battles.”
On improving the people’s well-being, the meeting underscored ensuring a stable workforce and improving the structure and quality of employment.
The country will continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy. The quality and effect of the fiscal policy must be enhanced with more efforts on structural adjustment, while the monetary policy should be pursued with moderate flexibility to maintain market liquidity at a reasonably ample level.
The growth of credit and social financing should be in keeping with economic development, social financing costs should be reduced, and the supply-side structural reform of the financial sector should be deepened, said the statement.
The meeting called for promoting industrial and consumption upgrading, fully tapping into the advantages of China’s considerable market, and giving play to the underpinning role of consumption and the pivotal role of investment.
In terms of boosting high-quality development, the meeting stressed building new driving forces through faster implementation of regional development strategies, such as the coordinated development of the Beijing-tianjin-hebei region, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and the construction of the Guangdong-hong Kong-macao Greater Bay Area.
The country will work to build a number of advanced manufacturing clusters with international competitiveness.
The reform of the economic system will be deepened, with the reform of state-owned assets and enterprises to be accelerated, said the statement.
China’s opening up will continue to develop on a larger scale and at a deeper level. Foreign investment will be facilitated and better protected. The country will further shorten the negative list for foreign investment, lower the overall tariff level, and encourage enterprises to diversify export markets.
The meeting called for maintaining stable growth of foreign trade, ensuring stable and greater use of foreign investment, and making solid progress in jointly building the Belt and Road.
Completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the goals of the 13th Five-year Plan will be the top priority of the CPC’S work next year, and concerted efforts should be made in this regard to secure a great victory, said the statement.