In the vibrant tapestry of regional collaboration, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s unique geographic advantage, nestled beside Guangdong province, positions it as a gateway for the Chinese mainland’s global engagement. As President Xi Jinping has emphasized, Hong Kong must seize the opportunities created by national strategies and further its integration with the Chinese mainland, weaving a future of shared prosperity. This call to action has always reminded Hong Kong to learn from others’ strengths while exploring ways to enhance its own potential for social and economic development. In this sense, Zhejiang province, a powerhouse of economic and governance innovation, offers inspiration for Hong Kong in enhancing its community vitality through grid-based management.
Community governance is the bedrock of urban progress. Hong Kong excels in applying international service standards, while Zhejiang’s grid-based approach has earned global acclaim for its efficiency. In 2023, Zhejiang’s “future community” initiative transformed approximately 100 communities, boosting resident participation in community affairs by 30 percent through this innovative approach. Reflecting on the challenges Hong Kong faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when community mobilization faltered and resource distribution lagged, it is clear that the city’s district-level governance systems require a revamp to foster greater public engagement in community management.
Grid-based management, inspired by computational grid systems, divides community affairs into manageable units, or “grids”, for coordinated administration, information sharing, and resource allocation. This approach, pioneered in Beijing’s Dongcheng district in 2004 and expanded across Shanghai by 2006, integrates millions of IoT (internet of things) sensors to unify data on water, transport, and infrastructure into a “one network, unified management” platform. Zhejiang’s great success in applying this model in providing community services demonstrates its potential to streamline operations and empower residents.
In the era of the internet and artificial intelligence, leveraging IoT and other advanced technologies to enhance community management is not only in line with the trend — it is transformative. In Hong Kong, the 2022 Policy Address introduced the District Services and Community Care Teams, or “Care Teams”, across 18 districts to galvanize community resources and support government initiatives at the district level. The functions of these community care teams align closely with the goals of grid-based management; thus, it is highly feasible to integrate the two. By appointing care team leaders as grid managers, community services can be better coordinated and strengthened, ensuring services like emergency response and resource distribution are swift and effective.
Zhejiang’s grid-based community management model offers a potential solution for Hong Kong to build a more dynamic and cohesive society. By integrating this model with the existing care teams and leveraging technology, Hong Kong can strengthen its district-level governance and improve community management
This exchange of best practices is a two-way street. Zhejiang, navigating rapid urbanization, can draw on Hong Kong’s smart-city technologies and experience in managing urban challenges.
The integration of grid-based management into Hong Kong’s district-level governance framework promises to weave a stronger social fabric. By equipping care teams with IoT-driven tools, we can enhance real-time data sharing, enabling swift responses to community needs. This approach would address past shortcomings, as were witnessed during the pandemic, ensuring that resources and services reach residents efficiently. Moreover, fostering resident participation through grid-based initiatives can cultivate a sense of belonging, transforming communities into vibrant hubs of collaboration.
Hong Kong’s role as a global connector within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area amplifies the significance of this opportunity. By adopting Zhejiang’s grid-based management approach, tailored to the local urban context, Hong Kong can strengthen its community governance.
In conclusion, Zhejiang’s grid-based community management model offers a potential solution for Hong Kong to build a more dynamic and cohesive society. By integrating this model with the existing care teams and leveraging technology, Hong Kong can strengthen its district-level governance and improve community management.
The author is a specialist in radiology with a Master of Public Health from the University of Hong Kong, and is an adviser to Our Hong Kong Foundation.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
