How Chinese live hotline to local government has empowered citizens

Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province, has leveraged the power of the internet to empower citizens through a unique hotline program called "Hangfeng Online."

Launched in 2004 by the Qingdao municipal government and Qingdao Media Group, "Hangfeng Online" connects citizens directly with government officials. The format is straightforward: citizens call in with questions or complaints, officials respond live on air, and the production team follows up to ensure issues are resolved.

Zhang Xiaolin, deputy director of the hotline supervision department at the Qingdao Media Group, said that with coordinated supervision from the city's legislature, political advisors, experts and the media, "Hangfeng Online" has built a bridge for communication between the government and the public through the hotline service and radio shows over the past 20 years.

It has enabled government departments to "sit on the same bench with the public," find solutions together, and quickly resolve issues, Zhang added.

One notable case involved a housing complex in Qingdao's Xihai'an (West Coast) New Area, where residents had endured unreliable utilities for over a year. Frequent power outages and water supply issues led to significant inconvenience. Little progress was made until "Hangfeng Online" brought the issue to light. The program's exposure prompted immediate action from local authorities, who ensured the problems were resolved within weeks.

"Hangfeng Online" is not the only such program. In 2009, the Qingdao authorities and the Qingdao Daily newspaper jointly launched an online political consultation column, "People's Livelihood Online," aiming to enhance government transparency and public participation through the internet.

"People's Livelihood Online" immediately attracted attention upon its launch. The inaugural session, saw directors from the city's 19 government departments going online and up to 250,000 people participating.

During an online discussion hosted by Qingdao's Chengyun Holding Group in June, citizens raised concerns over public transportation in the Xianjiazhai area following urban renewal projects. In response, the group promptly coordinated with relevant departments, local communities and schools, conducted on-site research, and gathered feedback from residents.

As a result, they launched the No. 428 shuttle service. Tailored to the needs of over 1,000 students and teachers at Tiankang School, the route's stops and schedules were optimized to match school hours. "My child can sleep an extra 10 minutes now," said one parent.

Hotline services to safeguard people's livelihoods are one of the important steps China is taking to strengthen grassroots governance and build a service-oriented government.

"People's Livelihood Online" is good at harnessing the internet to capture public sentiment and opinions, gathering the collective strength and wisdom of the people, said Zhang Ning, a municipal deputy to the People's Congress of Qingdao, adding that through such programs, the practice of whole-process people's democracy is brought to life in a tangible way.