Beijing's 12345 citizen service hotline has emerged as a vital platform connecting the city's sprawling population of over 20 million residents to efficient government services and solutions, showing the mega city's commitment to modern governance.
Launched in 2018, the unified hotline has integrated more than 60 separate service lines, allowing Beijing's residents to access help for a wide range of urban issues through a single, easy-to-remember number, 12345.
Since then, the hotline has handled an impressive 140 million cases on complaints and inquiries from the public.
The Citizen Hotline Service Center now employs more than 1,700 operators offering 24-hour services, achieving a 97 percent resolution and satisfaction rate.
"If we calculate based on an 8-hour shift, the average is to receive about 80 to 100 calls per person each day. During peak hours, the number of staff on duty has reached over 600 or even 700," said Liu Huan, a team leader of the hotline center.
Before 2018, the hotline received approximately 4 million requests each year. In early 2019, Beijing officially implemented a "Swift Response to Public Complaints" reform to handle complaints through the 12345 hotline as the main channel, resulting in 6.96 million requests being processed that year.
By 2023, the number of citizen requests handled reached 21.43 million, and this year, the figure is expected to reach 24 million.
"'Swift Response to Public Complaints' represents a sense of unwavering responsibility, reflect the public's aspiration for a better life, embodies swift and decisive actions, and demonstrates our commitment to taking concrete actions and responsibilities," said Shen binhua, deputy secretary-general of Beijing Municipal People's Government.
Beijing service hotline further improves modern governance
