The global future is decidedly urban. As of 2023, more than half of the world's eight billion inhabitants live in cities, and the United Nations expects that figure to reach 70 percent by 2050. Countries across the globe face similar challenges in urban governance.

Beijing, famous for its rich history and culture, stands out as a dynamic, modern international metropolis of 21,858,000 permanent residents in an area of 16,000 square kilometers. In 2019, Beijing initiated an innovative set of reforms to address complaints related to urban governance immediately upon receipt, prioritizing speed and efficiency when responding to public concerns and shifting megacity management to a demand-driven approach. In the past six years, Beijing has processed over 150 million public complaints spanning every aspect of urban management and providing services for both the business community and ordinary citizens. The resolution rate and satisfaction rate have reached 97.0% and 97.3% respectively.

The Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints, sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Media Group, CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, is an international platform dedicated to searching for innovative, practical solutions to issues facing public service and sharing experience on urban governance. The forum has been held in 2021 and 2022 in Beijing. The next instalment is slated for December 18-19, 2024, in Beijing. The permanent theme of the Forum is People's City, Better Future, and this year's special theme is Modernizing for People-Centered Urban Governance. Leading global academics will be joined by prominent individuals with practical experience for discussions where they will share their unique insight and explore strategies together for modernizing urban governance.