On December 20, 1988, Xi Jinping, then Party Secretary of Ningde Prefecture in southeastern China's Fujian Province, launched a "Public Petition Day" in Xiapu County — a practice he would go on to support and personally participate in over the following decades.

This governance philosophy is still being carried forward and refined across China today, emphasizing close engagement with the people, attentiveness to their concerns, and responsiveness to their needs.