Documentary film Hotline Beijing premiered in the Chinese capital on Tuesday, one day ahead of the 2024 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints.
The production depicts people's experience of the 12345 public service hotline and how Beijing responds to public complaints.
The launching ceremony was attended by over 400 participants, including heads of internationally renowned cities, filmmakers and experts from home and abroad.
In his speech at the event, China Media Group (CMG) President Shen Haixiong spoke highly of the 12345 Hotline.
Shen said that under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Beijing, a mega-city of over 21 million permanent residents, has adhered to the people-centered development philosophy and advanced reforms to conduct megacity management through a demand-driven approach.
12345, a 24/7 public service hotline, addresses people's concerns by building a "smart hub" based on people's livelihood and happiness indexes, Shen said, adding that it reflects people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security derived from the city's commitment to and practice of putting people first.
It is the embodiment of "people raising questions, reviewing government responses, and then giving it high marks for performance," Shen added.
Shen said CMG adhered to the people-centered philosophy in the creation of the documentary.
Taking a global perspective and international expression, it recounts the stories of Beijing's successful reform of Swift Response to Public Complaints, Shen said, adding that throughout the production, people can see how the theory, warmth and intensity of work are integrated and reflected in the lives of ordinary people.
Focusing on the common problems of governance in megacities worldwide, the film shares seven stories about telephone operators, parking difficulties and citizen scoring mechanisms through real images, real people and real experiences.
From the perspectives of agile, resilient, proactive and smart governance, the film presents Beijing's innovative practice of deepening the reform of Swift Response to Public Complaints as well as the people-centered philosophy behind this system.
The system established an online platform for citizen complaints that made it possible for citizens to ask questions or make suggestions, said former Jordanian Prime Minister Omar Razzaz at the opening ceremony of the forum, noting that he was really amazed by the film.
The film, produced by China Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Studio (Group) under CMG, is scheduled to be released in 2025.
The 2024 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints is held from Wednesday to Thursday.
(Cover: A view of the premiere of documentary film Hotline Beijing in Beijing, China, December 17, 2024. /CMG)