Mayorsandgovernmentofficialsrepresentingsevencountriessharedinsightsondigitalizationandefficiencyinmoderncitygovernanceattherecentlyconcluded2026GlobalMayorsDialogueinXi'an,Shaanxiprovince.

TheparticipantsfromJordan,Egypt,Lebanon,Oman,Iraq,TunisiaandNewZealandlearnedaboutXi'an'sexperiencethroughanon-sitevisitduringthethree-dayeventthatendedonWednesday.

Atthe12345citizenservicehotlinecenter,participantslearnedabouttheround-the-clockmodelforreceivingconsultations,complaints,reports,assistancerequestsandsuggestionsfromthepublic,andprovidingrapidresponsesthroughcoordinationamongmultiplegovernmentdepartments.

In2025,thehotlinereceivedabout5.8millionrequests,withacasecompletionrateof99.8percentandapublicsatisfactionrateof97.5percent,accordingtolocalauthorities.

ElmoulaAbdelbaki,directorofmunicipalaffairsofTozeurGovernorateinTunisia,saidthehotlinefeaturesrapidresponse,qualityserviceandhighefficiency.

"Itfullyembodiesthepeople-centeredgovernancephilosophyandservesasasuccessfulmodelforurbanpublicservicesandgrassrootsgovernance,"hesaid,addingthathehopestointroducethemodelinTunisiatoimprovecivilservicesandenhancecooperationwithChinaingrassrootsgovernance.

AttheXi'antrafficcommandhall,real-timeroadnetworkdata,trafficsignalstatus,congestionpointsandpolicepatroltrajectoriesweredisplayedonagiantscreen,showcasingthecity'ssmartgovernancesystem.

ElsawyAbdelrahem,professorofphilosophyatBenhaUniversityinEgyptandacoordinatorforEgyptian-Chineserelations,saidXi'anhasasophisticatedandwidelyappliedsmartmobilitysystemwith"remarkableachievementsintrafficcongestionrelief,emergencyrescueandpublicconvenienceservices".

GiventheurgentdemandforurbantrafficdevelopmentinArabcountries,hesaidthereisastrongexpectationfordeepercooperationwithChinainsmarttransportation.

Combiningtheirownurbanpractices,participantsexchangedideasondigital-enabledgovernance,technology-drivenimprovementsinlivelihoodsandprecise,efficientpublicservices.

GoranRasheedMuhamad,directoroftheforeignaffairsofficeoftheprovincialgovernmentofSulaymaniyahinIraq,saidSulaymaniyahisleveragingdigitaltechnologiestomonitorroadconditionsandadvancetransportationdevelopment.

Inaddition,ithasstreamlinedurbantransactionsthroughvariouse-walletservices,enablingresidentstoaccessgovernmentservicesandpayofficialbillsonline,hesaid.

However,withthenumberofmotorvehiclesrisinginrecentyearsandplacingincreasingpressureontrafficmanagement,theprovinceurgentlyneedstodrawonadvancedexperiencefromotherregions.

"Weaimtoapplyhighandnewtechnologiestoempowerurbanconstructionandachievemoreefficienturbangovernance.Thiswillhelpenhancecitizens'senseofhappinessandsatisfaction,forexample,byalleviatingroadcongestion.WealsolookforwardtostrengtheningexchangeswithChina,"hesaid.

XiaoQi,vice-mayorofXi'an,saidthecityhasbuiltasmartgovernancemodelfeaturing"full-domainperception,intelligentearlywarningandefficientdataapplication".

"Atechnology-drivenurbantransformationisadvancingacrosseverycornerofXi'an.Forexample,intelligentdevicesonpatrolvehiclesenableAIvisualrecognitiontodetectroadsurfacedefectsatthemillimeterlevel.Digitalsensorsinstalledonurbanbridgesmonitorstructuralhealtharoundtheclock.Streetlightsautomaticallyadjustbrightnessaccordingtotrafficflowatnight,providingilluminationwhilesavingenergy,"shesaid,addingthatitishelpingbringamoreefficient,preciseandintelligenturbanlifewithinreach.

ShadyYehiaElmashad,deputygovernorofBeheirainEgypt,saiddigitalizationismorethanautomation,itisatooltoincreaseresourceefficiencyandreducewaste.

Digitaltransformation,hesaid,isnotatechnologicalluxurybutthefastestpathtoachievingsustainabledevelopment.