Staff members are demonstrating the operation process of the "Paperwork-free City" service platform. （Photo/Xinhua）

Chongqing - For many residents and businesses, dealing with public services often means repeatedly proving information already held in government records, from personal identity and property ownership to business registration and eligibility for assistance.

Chongqing is seeking to transform this approach through a citywide “paperwork-free” service initiative.

At a municipal reform meeting on June 25, Chongqing announced plans to expand the initiative, allowing government systems to verify information through data sharing instead of requiring residents and businesses to repeatedly submit paper documents.

From uploading documents to skipping them

Chongqing has completed a review of certification materials, removing 140 unnecessary or unreasonable documentation requirements. It has also consolidated 4,423 retained items into a unified citywide list, grouping them into 335 standardized categories.

For applicants, the change aims to make public services more predictable by clarifying required documents, issuing authorities and exemption rules, while preventing government departments from requesting unnecessary materials.

The city is also integrating data across government departments, digitizing 50 commonly used documents, including identity documents, business licenses and property ownership records, and adding them to Yukuai Ban, Chongqing’s one-stop government service platform that allows residents and businesses to access public services online.

In some cases, such as hotel check-ins, residents can use a digital identity code instead of a physical ID card.

The shift reflects a broader move toward smarter digital government services, where departments verify information themselves instead of requiring residents and businesses to repeatedly upload documents.

Cut 90% of proof submissions by 2027 with smarter data sharing

Chongqing is applying the reform first to social assistance. Through the Yuyue Jiuzhu Tong platform, the city can verify applicants’ vehicles, property, bank deposits and insurance records through data sharing, cutting verification time to as little as four hours.

For entrepreneurs, the one-stop secured business loan service allows applicants to complete identity verification and authorization online, removing paper submissions. Approved applications are then automatically sent to selected banks.

The reform also covers vehicle services. For new car registrations, key documents including tax records, compulsory insurance and sales invoices can now be checked through connected systems instead of being submitted by residents.

Chongqing plans to expand the system by linking more data from areas such as household registration, business licenses, property registration and social security. 

The city has already integrated more than 5.98 million data records across over 40 sectors, with 30 sectors adopting data-based alternatives to traditional proof documents. By 2027, it aims to eliminate the need to submit more than 90% of required proof materials.

The reform will extend to daily services, including education, healthcare, tourism and banking, shifting the burden from residents and businesses providing documents to government systems verifying information directly.

(Lu Wanqing and Li Jiayan, as interns, also contribute to this report.)