Digital News

　　“In the past, handling services for newborns required going back and forth among multiple departments to submit materials. Now, after completing online information entry, relevant data automatically flows through an interdepartmental sharing mechanism, enabling multiple matters to be processed efficiently within just a few days.” At the press conference held by the State Council Information Office on August 14, Liu Liehong, administrator of the National Data Administration, introduced that digital technologies have significantly improved the accessibility, fairness, and inclusiveness of public services, continuously enhancing the level of livelihood protection and making digital public services more tangible and accessible.

　　According to information from the press conference, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the accelerated application of digital and intelligent technologies in China has profoundly transformed people’s production and lifestyle as well as social governance models. At present, the number of internet users in China has reached 1.123 billion, with an internet penetration rate of 79.7%. Digital services that are usable, affordable, and reliable are benefiting a growing number of people.

　　On the one hand, public services have become more inclusive and convenient. Smart healthcare services have been expanded and accelerated, with the annual service volume of internet hospitals nationwide exceeding 100 million visits, and the number of users of the national medical insurance code surpassing 1.2 billion, while direct settlement of cross-provincial medical treatments has benefited 560 million visits. Digital education has achieved expansion and upgrading: China has established the world’s largest and most resource-rich national smart education platform, while the number and scale of applications of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) rank first globally, realizing the vision of “high-quality courses available across the internet, all at your fingertips.” Digital social security has expanded in coverage and effectiveness, with 1.07 billion people nationwide having received electronic social security cards, covering more than 75% of the population, while regional interconnectivity of services through “one card access” has been gradually achieved in city clusters such as the Yangtze River Delta, Chengdu, and Chongqing. Digital elderly care services have achieved positive results, with steady improvements in internet application upgrades and “one-click access to human customer service” designed for the elderly. A national elderly care service information platform has also been launched, facilitating the efficient matching of supply and demand in elderly care services.

　　On the other hand, digital life has become more enjoyable and intelligent. In the field of smart culture and tourism, the digital transformation completion rate of all 5A-level scenic areas nationwide has reached 100%, while the application of new technologies such as digital twins and virtual reality has made millennia-old civilizations “within reach”. In smart communities, services have become more intelligent, with functions such as “one-click assistance” for the elderly accessible at their fingertips. Applications such as smart home health management and remote medical consultations have made community life warmer and more caring. In digital consumption, new models and products such as instant retail, intelligent connected vehicles, and micro-short dramas are continuously emerging, unleashing the potential of new forms of consumption.

　　In addition, social governance has become more precise and efficient. With deeper development and application of data resources across multiple scenarios, the role of data elements in empowering governance continues to strengthen. Government services delivered through “one-stop online access” have advanced in depth, with application scenarios for “efficiently handling one matter” becoming increasingly diverse. The integration and utilization of data from citizen hotlines, such as “respond immediately upon receipt of complaints,” have accelerated, improving convenience for the public in accessing services. Urban operation through “unified online management” has continued to deepen, with applications such as intelligent disaster early warning yielding tangible results. Urban governance has shifted from “fragmented control” to “holistic coordination”, comprehensively enhancing smart governance and resilient security capabilities. The effectiveness of “one-stop access” to public services has improved, with cross-departmental and cross-level data sharing and business collaboration continuously advancing, while scenario-based applications, such as enjoying services without application in fields like daily life services and enterprise services, have become increasingly enriched.

　　According to Chen Ronghui, deputy administrator of the National Data Administration, in the next step, the National Data Administration will fully leverage the amplifying, superimposing, and multiplying effects of data elements, taking the betterment of people’s well-being as the starting point and ultimate goal. It will focus on promoting the digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of public services, digital life, and social governance, thereby generating more tangible achievements in the building of a digital society.