NATIONAL POLICY BACKGROUND
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In recent years, the country has attached great importance to the construction of smart cities and issued a series of policy documents, pointing out the direction for the development of smart cities. Mainly reflected in the following three aspects：
Building Digital Twin Cities
The "14th Five Year Plan" and the 2035 Long Range Goal Outline point out the need to activate the potential of data elements, promote the construction of a strong network country, accelerate the construction of digital economy, digital society, and digital government, promote the construction of new smart cities through classification and classification, improve urban information model platforms and operation management service platforms, build urban data resource systems, and promote the construction of urban data brains. Explore the construction of digital twin cities.
Digital Economy Development Strategy
In 2024, the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Data Bureau, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Natural Resources issued the Guiding Opinions on Deepening the Development of Smart Cities and Promoting the Digital Transformation of Cities, which pointed out the need to establish a common foundation for urban digitization, cultivate and strengthen the digital economy of cities, promote the integration of new industries and cities, promote precise and refined urban governance, enrich inclusive digital public services, optimize green, smart, and livable environments, enhance the level of urban security and resilience, and build and improve digital infrastructure.
Green & Dual Carbon National Strategy
The Three Year Action Plan for "Data Element X" (2024-2026) points out the need to leverage the multiplier effect of data elements to empower economic and social development; Clarify the goals of significantly expanding the breadth and depth of data element applications by the end of 2026; Propose 12 key actions, including green development actions such as data element x green and low-carbon, data element x meteorological services, covering improving the level of ecological environment governance, guiding enterprises to save energy and reduce carbon emissions, and reducing the impact of extreme weather and climate events.
CURRENT SITUATION AND CHALLENGES
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Insufficient guidance for top-level design
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As China's new smart city construction gradually enters the "deep water zone", how to effectively connect existing achievements with new construction content, reduce "data silos" while avoiding duplicate construction, and balance industrial development is an urgent problem that needs to be solved in the current top-level planning.
Data elements' driving force is hard to release
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Many software systems have been built in smart cities across the country, but the collection, governance, sharing, and utilization of data resources still face problems such as poor cross level and cross departmental sharing and circulation of data resources, difficulties in government data backflow, lack of unified standards, and low data quality, which have become the main constraints on the value of data elements.
Still lack support for infrastructure
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At present, the infrastructure and computing power of smart city networks have begun to take effect, but there is still a situation of division and rule among various departments. The degree of coordination and intensification of infrastructure construction and operation is not high, resulting in a low level of intelligence in many facilities.
Data security & privacy issues
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During the construction and operation of smart cities, a large amount of urban data from citizens will be collected, stored, and analyzed. Sensitive information such as personal identity information, behavioral trajectory, and consumption habits, once leaked or abused, will have a serious impact on individuals and society. Therefore, ensuring data security and privacy protection has become an important challenge for the development of smart cities.
CASES
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Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint
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For the top-level design of Hong Kong's smart city:
- Smart travel
- Smart Life
- Smart environment
- Smart Citizen
- Smart government
- Smart economy
Six main categories are proposed for short, medium, and long-term development. Based on Hong Kong's urban challenges, unique local conditions, advantages, and challenges, the "Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint" outlines a smart city development plan for the next five years and beyond.
