The China Media Group recently released the 2023 City Business Environment Innovation Report in Beijing, highlighting Hohhot as one of the most innovative cities last year for its exemplary market mechanism reforms.

Featured in particular as an innovative achievement in the report was a project run by the city's Administrative Examination and Approval and Government Services Bureau – called the "First Implementation of the Notification Commitment System for Construction Permits in the Autonomous Region".

To boost its fair market competition and beef up its project approvals system, Hohhot introduced a notification commitment system for construction permits.

The initiative was outlined in the policy "Notice on Strengthening Interim and Ex-post Supervision and Credit Disclosure of the Commitment Approval System for Construction Projects". This is said to have significantly improved the ease of obtaining construction permits by integrating the system with the city's credit system.

Under the new system, construction units can apply for permits with a promise to submit construction drawings within a set timeframe. If they fail to meet the deadline, their non-compliance is published on the city's credit system, affecting future approvals.

It's estimated that the reform saves construction units up to a month in project timelines – offering substantial benefits and increasing satisfaction among businesses.