Beijing hosts forum to tackle swift response to public complaints

The 2024 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints opened in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, where leading global academics and representatives share their insights and explore strategies for modernizing urban governance.

With the theme of "Modernizing for People-Centered Urban Governance," the two day event from Wednesday to Thursday has gathered more than 700 participants, including domestic and international guests, representatives from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Macao SAR and the Taiwan region, scholars from universities and representatives of grassroots workers.

Beijing is a city with a profound history and rich cultural heritage, as well as a vibrant, modern international metropolis. Covering an area of over 16,000 square kilometers, it has a permanent population of 21.858 million.

In response to urban governance challenges, Beijing launched the swift response to public complaints reform in 2019, providing rapid responses and efficient handling of citizens' concerns through the 12345 Citizen Service Hotline.

Over the past five years, the city has handled 150 million complaints from citizens, achieving a resolution rate of 96.5 percent and a satisfaction rate of 96.9 percent.

The attendees have been invited to visit the Beijing 12345 Citizen Hotline Service Center on the sideline of the forum, to gain firsthand insights into Beijing's exploration and innovation in the governance of mega-cities.

Sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Media Group, Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, the forum has a main forum and six parallel sessions.

Beijing hosts forum to tackle swift response to public complaints

Celebrations were held for a young giant panda cub who turned six-months-old on Wednesday at the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province.

Panda cub Mei Zhu was born at the zoo on June 18 to mother Meng Meng, the eldest of the world's only giant panda triplets who this year turned ten-years-old.

Zookeepers held a public event to mark the adorable panda's half-year milestone on Wednesday, and prepared a special "birthday cake" made with tender bamboo shoots, carrots, and other ingredients for Mei Zhu to feast on.

The party continued as more toys and special equipment was added to her play area, ensuring an entertaining day for the cuddly cub.

After enjoying her cake, Mei Zhu was weighed, measured, and given a physical check-up, with the young cub said to be growing healthily and in good condition, according to staff at the Chimelong Safari Park.

"Currently, the giant panda cub is in the phase of learning to climb trees, engaging in playful wrestling with its mother, and mastering the art of eating bamboo shoots and leaves. She was born at a weight of 178 grams and now weighs 10.88 kilograms. She's in excellent health," said giant panda keeper Chen Shuqing.

Mei Zhu was the first newborn panda at China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas' Guangdong Site this year.

Her mother Meng Meng was also born in Guangzhou back in July 2014, along with her two brothers Shuai Shuai and Ku Ku.

Celebrations as giant panda cub turns six-months-old in Guangzhou