Smart cities should take a smart view to realize sustainability, experts say

China's smart cities should focus on long-term for efficient and sustainable development, industry experts said.

Shan Zhiguang, director of Information and Industrial Development Department of State Information Center and also director of the State Information Center Smarter City Development and Research Center, said at the 2021 Smart City Expo that China's smart city construction has achieved remarkable results, however, problems such as vague operation mode, insufficient social capital involvement have emerged. The issues are hindering China's new-type smart city development.

"The development of smart city should shift from construction-oriented to long-term operation-oriented, to realize sustainable development," he said.

He said the long-term operation of smart cities centers on user services, and gives full play to the decisive role of market in resource allocation, and promotes the synchronization of technology, business, and management through the construction of a diversified operating ecology.

Wang Zhaojin, senior vice-president of Shanghai-based Wondersgroup, said the long-term operation of smart city should center on people, and aim at building smart cities that improve people's livelihood and satisfy people's needs. Smart cities should also take advantage of digital driving force to comprehensively improve their operation efficiency and livability.

"In addition, a clear operational guarantee mechanism should be established, to plan on the long-term operation of smart city development," he said.

Citizen Cloud, a smart city platform developed by Wondersgroup, serves as a great example of long-term smart city operation. Currently, the platform covers 26 cities and 150 million users in China. The platform is based on the public's real needs, and offers public services related to healthcare, food, travel, living, work, sickness and death. It increases cities' governance level by offering better services.

A report on the long-term operation of China's smart city development was jointly released by the State Information Center Smarter City Development and Research Center and Wondersgroup, offering detailed suggestions. The report is available on the State Information Center's official website.