The "Property City" model of Hengqin New Area is one of 17 Chinese Urban Governance Innovation Cases out of 194 to be selected by the Institute of Urban Governance of Peking University.

Hengqin initiated the innovative social governance mode in 2018. A high-level property enterprise was brought in for professional, refined, and "intelligent" management of public spaces and resources relying on big data.

"Intelligent" management of urban space and resources [Photo courtesy Guanhai App]

The goal is to strengthen Hengqin as a model city of efficient operation that combines professional services, "smart" platforms, and administrative forces, said Zhao Zhenwu, director of the Hengqin Emergency Management Bureau.

A Property City Center for Strategic Studies was established in July 2020. The Hengqin New Area Administrative Committee, Peking University, and Vanke Service concurrently released a White Book on Property City which sets industrial standards for the model.

Now the social governance mode has been promoted in 40 places including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan, Qingdao, Xiamen, and Xiong'an New Area. It was selected among the 2020 National Outstanding Cases of Municipal Social Governance Innovation and 2019-20 Outstanding Governance Modernization Cases in Guangdong. 

Initiated in 2018, the Chinese Urban Governance Innovation Case selection biennially evaluates innovation, significance, benefits, participation, and promotion. Candidate projects had been carried out for more than one year and made notable achievements. Only those that solve urban problems, satisfy urban needs, and create urban value with innovative thoughts or methods qualify.