Opening ceremony of the Fourth China–CEEC Spokespersons Dialogue. (Photo/Li Xin)
Chongqing - How can government communication improve governance in megacities? At the Fourth China–CEEC Spokespersons Dialogue on June 29, Zhang Qiong, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and Spokesperson of the Chongqing Municipal Government, said news releases should serve as a tool for better urban governance.
Zhang said news releases should go beyond information disclosure, engaging the public throughout the policymaking process through early communication, public participation, and feedback. She said this approach can reduce misunderstandings, strengthen coordination among the government, the media, and the public, and make megacity governance more transparent and predictable.
Zhang added that modern urban governance requires balancing expert decision-making with public understanding and institutional governance with public participation. She said news releases serve as a vital bridge between the government and the public.
Taking Chongqing as an example, the city covers 82,400 square kilometers and has a permanent population of 33 million. Its large scale, complex structure, and diverse demands place higher requirements on governance capacity.
She noted that traditional, one-way communication that emphasizes publicity over interaction and explanation over implementation no longer meets current needs. It can easily lead to policy misunderstanding, misaligned expectations, and weak implementation.
Against this backdrop, Chongqing has promoted a shift in its news release system: from post-event explanation to full-process engagement, and from information dissemination to governance support.
Through transparency to build consensus, interaction to encourage participation, and closed-loop management to improve implementation, communication is more closely integrated with governance.
Building a collaborative news release mechanism
Based on this approach, Chongqing has established a news release mechanism featuring joint agenda setting, multi-stakeholder participation, and closed-loop implementation.
Zhang said that enhancing government credibility is a key function of news releases and a foundation of modern governance. Through joint agenda-setting, Chongqing ensures that the topics released better reflect real governance needs and public concerns.
Specifically, relevant departments identify key governance issues, media reflect public opinion hotspots, and digital platforms collect public feedback. The municipal government press office then conducts an overall assessment and sets the agenda, shifting from “department-led topics” to “demand-driven topics.”
She cited the example of last year’s metro fare adjustment. Authorities communicated in advance and explained the policy background and public interest considerations, which helped reduce misunderstandings and led to a positive public response.
Chongqing has also strengthened its multi-channel engagement mechanism to extend news releases into the full governance process. By integrating online and offline communication channels, it broadens public participation, supports in-depth media questioning, and opens online feedback channels. Before press conferences, public questions are collected online, and officials directly respond to key concerns during the sessions.
From 2024 to 2025, the Chongqing municipal government press office held nearly 300 press conferences, responding to 1,433 journalist questions and 1,512 public inquiries, expanding news releases from the conference room to wider social interaction.
At the same time, Chongqing has built a closed-loop implementation mechanism to manage public concerns throughout the entire process. News releases are not only information platforms but also channels for public feedback. Through collection, classification, assignment, follow-up, and evaluation, each issue raised is translated into concrete governance actions.
Using news releases to build public consensus
Over the past two years, Chongqing has resolved more than 4,500 livelihood-related issues through this closed-loop system, forming a cycle of “release–feedback–implementation–improvement.”
Zhang said Chongqing’s practice shows that news releases are not only a communication tool but also an effective way to build consensus, address governance challenges, and improve efficiency.
The essence of modern governance is responding to public needs, while the key to international exchange is building mutual understanding. Open, transparent, and equal communication forms the foundation for international learning and exchange.
She introduced that Chongqing has established an international communication institution to strengthen its global outreach. In terms of expression, it focuses on using language and formats that are easier for overseas audiences to understand. Currently, Chongqing operates the iChongqing website, with about 23 million overseas users, and the Bridging News app.
The core of international exchange is sincere communication. The dialogue conference serves as an important platform, and Chongqing looks forward to strengthening exchanges and mutual learning with all parties, building consensus through open dialogue and promoting development through practical cooperation.
At the end of her speech, Zhang sincerely invited participants to visit Chongqing and experience the vitality and unique charm of this modern city.