Chongqing - Chongqing is expanding the role of public-facing service units in grassroots civic work, as the southwestern Chinese municipality seeks to improve governance in one of the country's largest megacities.
Visitors to Hongyancun Station on Chongqing Rail Transit on May 29 explored China's first metro station themed around Hongyan culture, a revolutionary legacy linked to historic sites such as Hongyancun and Hutouyan. The visit was part of an exchange program involving central and municipal state-owned enterprises in Chongqing.
Chongqing Rail Transit Hongyancun Station. (Photo/CQTV)
The Hongyancun Station practice site is one example of Chongqing's effort to combine "window units" - public-facing service providers such as transport, power, banking, postal, and telecom companies - with civic practice work.
Inside the station, passengers entering through Exit 2 are greeted by relief sculptures depicting stories from Hongyan history. Throughout the station, 12 large wall reliefs and 24 columns engraved with the portraits and stories of Hongyan martyrs transform the transit space into a living showcase of revolutionary heritage.
The station is also the route for the "Hongyan Metro Vertical Marathon." From Exit 2 to Exit 4, participants climb 860 steps across a vertical height difference of 141 meters, equivalent to 47 floors, over a route of 1.2 kilometers.
Runners race along the Hongyan Metro Vertical Marathon route at Hongyancun Station in Chongqing. (Photo/Yuzhong District)
Chongqing Transportation Development & Investment Group has also launched themed projects, including the "National Security" train, "Role Model of the Times" train, and Hongyan buses. Its lecture team has carried out outreach sessions in communities, enterprises, schools, and transport sites, reaching more than 20,000 employees and residents annually.
Public service is another key feature of the model. At the Xinpaifang Hongyan Service Station of State Grid Chongqing North Power Supply Company in Liangjiang New Area, staff recently helped an elderly resident solve a WeChat electricity payment issue.
A display wall at the station highlights year-round service efforts by power workers, from policy explanations in spring and peak summer power support, to community services in autumn and visits to vulnerable groups in winter.
The Xinpaifang Hongyan Service Station of State Grid Chongqing North Power Supply Company. (Photo/CQTV)
State Grid Chongqing Electric Power has formed 44 Hongyan service teams with partner organizations, carrying out 3,364 public service activities. It has also developed a “village–grid co-construction” model, established charity supermarkets in 22 assisted villages and towns, and organized over 1,500 civic practice activities.
In the financial sector, Bank of Chongqing has built more than 200 convenience service stations. Its mobile banking service, Bashi Digital Smart Outreach Bank, has provided door-to-door services to more than 700,000 rural customers. The bank has also issued more than 60 billion yuan (about 8.87 billion U.S. dollars) in loans to 14 key assisted districts and counties through a model combining credit support, industrial development and consumption assistance.
Other companies are also expanding similar efforts. Chongqing Expressway Group has worked with seven partner units to build 10 service stations. China Post Chongqing has cooperated with 55 Grade-A tertiary hospitals and 347 pharmaceutical companies through an "Internet + medical care + postal service" model, delivering 1.17 million medicine parcels. It has also built 200 one-stop social security service outlets.
China Telecom Chongqing has organized Party and Youth League volunteer teams to carry out anti-fraud education, network assistance, environmental improvement, and other services in communities, villages, and schools. It has formed co-construction relationships with 120 communities. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank has used its "Hongjinyu" financial service stations to work with communities, police and local governments on financial risk prevention.
An official from the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee said the city will continue to promote information sharing, resource sharing, joint site construction, team development and coordinated activities among public-facing units, with the aim of creating more civic practice brands with Chongqing characteristics and supporting the city's modern urban governance.