Foreign diplomats explore Shanghai's people-centered governance model

Diplomats from 20 countries visited the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress on Tuesday, engaging with local legislators and observing China's whole-process people's democracy in action as part of a five-day program exploring the country's people-centered urban governance philosophy.

The delegation, comprising 30 ambassadors and diplomatic officials, received detailed briefings on the municipal legislature's operations and local democratic practices.

During an interactive session, they raised questions about population aging, the five-year plan, and the relationship between urban governance and people-centered development, engaging in substantive discussions with Shanghai's people's representatives.

Following the session, the delegation toured the Gubei Civic Center in Changning district. Located in China's first international residential community, the center integrates administrative services, lifestyle support, cultural exchange, and neighborhood governance.

It also functions as one of the earliest grassroots legislative contact points established by the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, a mechanism designed to channel public feedback directly into the legislative process while tailoring services for both local and foreign residents.

"It was very interesting to see how experts address urban development and planning alongside population aging and the environment, because these are all aspects of our daily life," Koula Sophianou, Cyprus' ambassador to China, said.

"This is probably what makes Shanghai so attractive," she said. "Its long history and tradition, technological advancements, and attention to the needs of every inhabitant."

Nurlan Akkoshkarov, consul general of Kazakhstan in Shanghai, expressed interest in deepening parliamentary exchanges. "The introduction to Shanghai's representative institutions and operational processes was deeply meaningful to us," he said. "We hope to conduct in-depth exchanges at the parliamentary and people's representative level."

Akkoshkarov, who has served in Shanghai for one year, said he has witnessed the city's development firsthand.

"Shanghai municipal government's management experience in improving people's lives has high reference value for Kazakhstan," he noted.

As part of the tour, the delegation also visited the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the CPC and the China Executive Leadership Academy in Pudong New Area to gain insight into official training systems and local urban renewal initiatives.

The program, titled "Explore People-Centered Cities: China's Governance, Global Engagement", runs from Sept 7 to 11 and encompasses visits to both Shanghai, which concludes on Sept 9, and Jiangsu province. Participants represent countries including Belarus, Spain, Bangladesh, Cyprus and Namibia.

The event aims to promote international exchange and mutual learning by showcasing urban governance achievements and the implementation of the concept that cities should be built by the people and for the people.

Cheng Wenbin contributed to the story.