In Beijing, a single number connects residents to their city. The Beijing 12345 Public Service Hotline ensures that every call is heard, answered and acted upon.
In 2019, the city rolled out an initiative to address the concerns of its 21 million residents more effectively.
More than 60 separate hotline services were consolidated into a single number, which has since become the primary channel for residents to voice their grievances and requests.
Over the past seven years, the hotline has handled a total of 200 million cases from individuals and businesses, with both resolution and satisfaction rates exceeding 97 percent.
In recent years, the service has undergone a full digital and smart upgrade. The number of complaint categories has expanded from more than 2,000 to tens of thousands, allowing for more precise task assignment.
Beijing also conducts detailed analysis of livelihood-related complaints to help the government refine its policymaking.
"In a big city, the grassroots [work] is very important. Beijing's reform mobilized the initiative and the creativity of grassroots units, enable them to respond to and resolve problems rapidly," said Li Wenzhao, director of the Beijing Center for Reform of Swift Response.
"Beijing has established strict [time] limits for handing requests, such as two hours for urgent matters, seven days for routine issues and 15 days for complex cases," he said.
Li added that a systematic workflow is essential for assessing requests and matching them to an appropriate government department. In this way, citizens can contribute to urban governance and collaborate with government officials, he said.
Beijing's 12345 hotline turns calls into action for 21 million residents
