China enhances rural public services and grassroots governance

China is focusing on enhancing the balance and accessibility of basic public services to drive rural revitalization and urban-rural integration. Under the upcoming ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ framework, the government aims to transition from basic coverage to high-quality shared services by utilizing county-level hubs to coordinate education, healthcare, elderly care, and cultural facilities.

Key strategies include ensuring that public services follow the movement of the population, particularly for migrant workers, and leveraging digital technologies like big data and artificial intelligence to improve service efficiency. Local examples, such as in Zhejiang Province, demonstrate efforts to optimize service delivery in remote or island areas through integrated transport and mobile service models.

Parallel to service expansion, grassroots governance is being modernized through the ‘Fengqiao Experience,’ which emphasizes resolving social contradictions at the local level. This involves establishing comprehensive governance centers at the county level and utilizing technology—such as drones and integrated data networks—to respond rapidly to community needs and infrastructure risks.