A grand drone light show themed on "People-Centered Smart Cities Towards the Future" was staged in Chongqing on October 27 as a special event for the 2025 World Cities Day China Observance. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - For Lucas Noldus, Secretary for International Affairs of the Netherlands Academy of Engineering, what impressed him most during his visit to Chongqing for the 2025 World Cities Day China Observance is how extensively smartphones are used to deliver digital services in China.

"I have WeChat, I have Alipay, and they allow me to book any service I need in my daily life on this one device," he said. "I can use all these services in a very efficient manner — much more efficient than I have experienced in Europe."

He also noted growing awareness in China of the legal and ethical aspects of digitalization, particularly data privacy, with increasing efforts to comply with national and international standards for protecting personal and sensitive information.

The China Observance took place in Chongqing from October 28 to 29, under the theme "People-Centered Smart Cities Towards the Future." It brought together guests from UN-Habitat, ESCAP, foreign embassies and consulates in China, Chongqing’s sister cities, and other Chinese cities. It also marked the first time the event was held in China’s central and western regions.

"What I took home as the most important message is that China in general, and Chongqing in particular, is going through a transformation — from building as much and as fast as possible to building for quality of life," Noldus said. "That message was presented by multiple speakers at this conference, and for me, it represents a real change in what I see happening in China."

Smart cities put people first

World Cities Day, the United Nations' first international day dedicated to cities and also the first initiated by China, originated from the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the Shanghai Declaration. It is celebrated annually on October 31 to promote international urban dialogue.

This year’s Global Observance was held in Bogotá, Colombia, while the China Observance in Chongqing highlighted how digital technologies were reshaping urban life—transforming how cities were designed, managed, and governed.

In an era of rapid urban and digital transitions, cities are increasingly using data and smart technologies to improve services and address key challenges, while it remains equally important for smart cities to prioritize human needs, inclusivity, and accessibility.

In a video speech at the China Observance of World Cities Day, Anacláudia Rossbach, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, underscored the transformative role of technology in tackling global urban challenges.

"Today, 2.8 billion people around the world lack access to adequate housing, more than one billion live in informal settlements and slums, and more than 300 million experience homelessness. With the right digital tools—from geospatial mapping and data monitoring to early warning systems—we can enhance government efficiency, save lives, secure land rights, and expand access to housing and essential services," she said.

Kazuko Ishigaki, Regional Director of UN-Habitat ROAP, emphasized that technology is only a tool and that a smart city "cannot be smart without people." She added that digital and smart solutions should ultimately serve citizens, not the other way around.

Echoing this view, Yu Jing, Senior Officer at the Multi-Country Program Office for Asia-Pacific, UN-Habitat, highlighted the need for inclusivity in smart city applications.

"Smart city applications should serve the people—not just the wealthy—but also the poor, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. The goal is to make their lives more convenient, inclusive, and resilient," she said.

Achieving truly people-centered urban development, Noldus noted, requires shifting attention from infrastructure to the well-being and needs of citizens.

"We are moving away from regarding a city as the sum of buildings, roads, and physical structures to a community of people," he said. "By understanding the needs of the people and their mental and physical well-being, we can make cities truly people-centered and ensure that any decision on urban planning and design is based on those needs."

Yu emphasized the need to adapt urban development to local contexts, noting that models cannot simply be copied between countries. “We should focus on what real people need—that is the essence of being people-centered,” she said.

Chongqing’s approach to modern urban development

As the host of this year’s China Observance, Chongqing stands out as China’s largest city by area and population—a rare megacity built among mountains and rivers. Its mix of metropolitan and rural areas, unique terrain, and strategic location give it a distinctive urban–rural character and national importance.

In the interviews with Bridging News, many experts who had visited Chongqing before reflected on the city's remarkable transformation over the years, highlighting its vibrant urban development.

For Noldus, his first visit to Chongqing was in 1984. He recalled that at that time, the city had few bridges or skyscrapers.

"Now I am impressed by all these facilities and transportation modalities, which allow people to move efficiently through the city while maintaining a pleasant atmosphere," he said. "On the streets, I see mostly happy and cheerful people who feel very safe—something we can learn from in Europe."

In 1991, Stephan Rau, Principal Urban Development Specialist at the Asian Development Bank, visited Chongqing for the first time and was struck by the city's dramatic topography. Now, he observes Chongqing applying the sponge city model, using parks and wetlands to retain rainwater, reduce flood risks, and enable the city to self-regulate during extreme weather—turning its complex terrain into a distinctive advantage for green resilience.

Chongqing's approach to water management has also gained international recognition. In the 2025 Annual Report of the Shanghai Manual: A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21st Century, the Bayu Water Governance Application System was highlighted as a case study, offering global cities insights from Chongqing’s experience.

The system integrates data from 22 municipal departments, covering over 900 datasets, and has established an intelligent water environment monitoring network. With more than 17,000 monitoring points, the system has reduced the average time to identify water-related issues from seven days to just 24 hours, addressing previous challenges such as fragmented data and the involvement of multiple departments in water management.

Rossbach commended Chongqing for its progress toward a sustainable urban future, describing its use of digital technologies to enhance housing, governance, infrastructure, and public services as an inspiring example.

She noted that Chongqing's experience offers valuable lessons for megacities worldwide in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda, which promote inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development through smart planning, better infrastructure, and people-centered services.

An unmanned excavator robot. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

 (Wei Zelin, as an intern, also contributed to the report.)