US scholar: Beijing's 12345 hotline offers lessons for global cities

Mindy Romero, founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California, said Beijing's 12345 hotline offers a useful example of how cities can incorporate public participation into urban governance.

Speaking to CGTN on Monday during the 2026 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints, Romero said inclusive governance mechanisms can help governments better understand and address people's needs while making citizens feel their voices are heard and valued.

She said the hotline demonstrates that public participation can benefit not only individuals seeking solutions to their problems, but also neighborhoods, communities and the city as a whole.

"When the government is hearing from the people what their needs are, what they want, they're actually taking better care," Romero said, adding that effective public engagement can also strengthen people's trust in government.

She described the mechanism as a potentially powerful example for other municipalities, particularly megacities seeking effective ways to involve ordinary citizens in governance.

Romero said China and the United States share a common interest in addressing residents' needs, creating opportunities for cities in both countries to exchange experiences and learn from one another. She noted that the scale of Beijing's hotline and its follow-up process offer potential lessons for other cities, while Beijing could also benefit from practices and experiences developed elsewhere.

She also highlighted the importance of continuous learning. By using public feedback to improve policies and systems, cities can move beyond resolving individual complaints toward preventing problems before they arise, she said.

Implementing such programs, however, requires more than technology and data. Romero pointed to staffing, funding and other resources, as well as a sustained commitment to putting people's needs first.

For cities considering similar initiatives, the key question is not simply how to establish a hotline, but how much commitment and investment governments are willing to make to ensure that people's concerns are addressed, she said.

Romero said exchanges on urban governance could encourage governments around the world to reflect on how they allocate resources and strengthen their commitment to serving the public.