At the 2025 World Cities Day China Observance in Chongqing, international experts, policymakers, and urban planners praised the Chongqing Smart Urban Model for its innovative blend of technology, sustainability, and people-centered governance. The city’s model, built around digital transformation and inclusive development, is being hailed as a global benchmark for modern urbanization.
World Cities Day 2025 Highlights Chongqing’s Smart Urban Vision
Held under the theme “People-Centered Smart Cities Toward the Future,” the World Cities Day 2025 event attracted more than 1,200 global participants from over 60 countries. Attendees included representatives from UN-Habitat, regional governments, and urban development institutions who gathered to exchange experiences on sustainable city planning and digital innovation.
The host city, Chongqing, one of China’s largest municipalities with a population of over 30 million, showcased how it integrates artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing into governance, infrastructure, and environmental management.
Experts commended the Chongqing Smart Urban Model for balancing technological progress with social inclusivity — an approach that has strengthened the city’s resilience, reduced pollution, and improved public services.
UN-Habitat Applauds Chongqing’s Technology-Driven Approach
Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, praised Chongqing’s success in using digital tools to improve housing, urban governance, and infrastructure, describing the city’s model as “a valuable reference for megacities worldwide.”
She highlighted how Chongqing’s smart infrastructure systems — from intelligent transportation to AI-powered energy grids — contribute to both sustainability and quality of life.
Kazuko Ishigaki, from UN-Habitat’s Asia-Pacific office, also drew attention to the city’s intelligent water ecology system, which integrates satellite, aerial, and ground-based sensors for real-time monitoring of rivers, reservoirs, and drainage systems. This advanced system ensures efficient water management, flood prevention, and environmental protection, setting an example for other urban centers facing climate challenges.
Global Delegates Laud Chongqing’s Urban Management Model
Delegates from Belarus, Thailand, and South Africa echoed praise for the Chongqing Smart Urban Model, emphasizing its effectiveness in transportation, environmental protection, and citizen engagement.
- Aleksandr Shchekovich, representing Belarus, applauded Chongqing’s efficient public transport networks and green mobility solutions, calling them key to sustainable growth.
- Torsak Chotimongkol, an urban advisor from Thailand, noted that Chongqing’s people-first governance model demonstrates how digital transformation can coexist with community well-being.
- Vuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela, South Africa’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament, highlighted the city’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stressing that global collaboration inspired by Chongqing’s practices can create safer, more resilient, and inclusive urban futures.
Chongqing’s Smart Urban Model: A Blueprint for Global Cities
The Chongqing Smart Urban Model combines technological innovation with social inclusion, offering a roadmap for cities navigating rapid urbanization. Key pillars of this model include:
- Digital Governance: AI-powered administrative systems that enhance efficiency, transparency, and public engagement.
- Green Development: Investments in renewable energy, electric mobility, and ecological restoration.
- Data-Driven Infrastructure: Use of IoT and big data to optimize traffic, utilities, and public safety.
- Cultural Inclusion: Policies that ensure modernization benefits all residents, particularly those in marginalized communities.
These integrated efforts have positioned Chongqing as one of the world’s leading examples of smart and sustainable urban development — demonstrating how technology can serve humanity without widening inequality.
Global Recognition of Chongqing’s Leadership in Smart City Innovation
The success of the 2025 World Cities Day China Observance reinforces Chongqing’s role as a center for urban innovation. As the world moves toward digitalized, environmentally conscious, and equitable city models, experts say Chongqing’s experience offers both lessons and inspiration.
In her closing remarks, Rossbach emphasized that cities adopting data-driven and citizen-centered approaches, like Chongqing, “will lead the next chapter of global urban transformation.”
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