Prologue
From March 27 to 28, as one of the 2024 Zhongguancun Forum Series, the Beijing Smart City and Spatiotemporal Information Conference took place in the Beijing International Fortune Center. The event drew on the guidance of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Government Services and Data Management, Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Tongzhou District People’s Government, and China Society of Geodesy Photogrammetry and Cartography (CSGPC). The event was jointly organized by the Beijing Municipal Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Beijing Society of Surveying and Mapping, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Electronics, Beijing Traffic Engineering Association, Beijing Association of IOT, Working Committee on Smart City of the CSGPC, and Tongzhou District Science and Technology Association. Ding Yong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Executive Vice Chairman of Beijing Association for Science and Technology, Zheng Hao, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Party Committee and Mayor of Tongzhou District, Zhu Quanhua, Vice Mayor of Tongzhou District, Song Chaozhi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CSGPC, Peng Xuehai, Deputy Director of Beijing Municipal Administration of Governmental Affairs and Data, and Tao Zhihong, Class-II Inspector of Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, attended the meeting. Colleagues from the Ministry of Natural Resources and relevant departments, bureaus and institutions, as well as local authorities in Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hunan and other provinces and municipalities in this field also attended the meeting, Ni Feng, the president of the Beijing Institute of Surveying and Mapping hosted the meeting.
The conference, titled “Spatial and Temporal Information Empowering the New Smart Cities,” sought to gather industry expertise and explore the most recent trends in the innovative application and development of spatiotemporal information for smart cities.
The conference unveiled the “City Code and Spatiotemporal Identification Data Service System,” a collaborative effort between the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Government Services and Data Management, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, the Beijing Institute of Surveying and Mapping, and the Beijing Municipal Big Data Center. Additionally, the event introduced the gInfer Geographic Information Platform developed by the Beijing Municipal Institute of Surveying and Mapping. The “City Code and Spatiotemporal Identification Data Service System” represents a significant leap forward in Beijing’s infrastructure development. Leveraging support from the Beijing Pilot Project of National New Mapping Development, Beijing is the national pioneer in establishing regulations for configuring city spatiotemporal identification. This initiative aims to create a comprehensive spatiotemporal identification system accessible to various entities and integrate spatiotemporal data into the City Code. This comprehensive system amalgamates spatiotemporal data concerning individuals, locations, objects, events, and scenarios, facilitating decision-making in urban governance. It is projected to integrate data from over 10 million physical facilities in Beijing this year alone. In the realm of urban governance and services, the “gInfer Geographic Information Platform” plays a pivotal role, efficiently storing spatial data while aiding in the comprehension and management of urban spatial information for residents.
Comrade Zhu Quanhua addressed the conference, emphasizing that the future of urban development lies in smart cities. He highlighted the necessity to adapt to societal shifts and enhance urban governance. Looking ahead, Tongzhou aspires to transition into a smart city, fostering deeper collaboration with universities and scientific research institutions. By mobilizing resources in science, technology, and innovation, the city aims to enhance and streamline public services, ultimately providing residents with a more convenient and higher quality of life.
Comrade Tao Zhihong spoke at the meeting, underscoring our commitment to harnessing smart city technologies to improve urban governance, enhance the efficiency and intelligence of city management, and reduce citizens’ reliance on navigating bureaucratic processes in person. This, in turn, aims to empower citizens, foster greater happiness, and ensure enhanced safety. Moving forward, we must accelerate the transformation and modernization of the surveying, mapping, and geographic information industries. We should also expand the applications of these technologies, continuously striving to meet society’s aspirations for a better quality of life and a promising future.
Comrade Peng Xuehai spoke at the meeting, emphasizing that smart cities represent a pivotal facet of urban development in the new era, standing as a central focus and global trend in urban development. Beijing has consistently pursued innovative strategies and charted new developmental paths, resulting in notable accomplishments. We are committed to enhancing collaboration and communication with all stakeholders, advancing research and application of spatiotemporal information technology, optimizing technical infrastructure, and perfecting service systems for smart cities. We aim to live up to rigorous standards and build smart cities at a faster pace.
In his opening speech, Comrade Song Chaozhi stressed that the advancement of smart cities not only improves urban management and operational efficiency but also catalyzes the transformation and upgrading of a city’s economy. Moreover, it enhances citizens’ quality of life and reinforces cities’ capacity for sustainable development. Therefore, building smart cities has become a global imperative in urban development. Data emerges as a crucial production factor in the digital era, serving as an indispensable strategic resource for smart cities. Surveying, mapping, and geographic information technology play pivotal roles in this endeavor. It is anticipated that Beijing’s increasingly abundant surveying, mapping, and geographic information data and applications will provide citizens with more comfortable and convenient experiences, advancing digitization and smart technologies.
Comrade Ding Yong addressed the meeting. He underscored the significance of this conference as a cornerstone event advocated by the Municipal Association for Science and Technology to the Zhongguancun Forum. It serves as a pivotal platform for scientific and technological professionals in relevant industries to share and exchange ideas. Multiple municipal societies, in collaboration with national societies, scientific research institutes, and Tongzhou District, will collectively present research findings in the field of smart cities. Additionally, they will explore experiences and insights on smart cities, and share innovative strategies and solutions for smart city development. This collaborative effort aims to consolidate new industry achievements, inject fresh momentum, and bring Beijing to new heights.
During presentations, industry experts shared valuable experiences and unique insights into smart cities, offering fresh inspiration and food for thought to all attendees.
Academician Guo Renzhong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering delivered a presentation titled “Smart City Engineering Logic and Development Ecology.” Through dissecting the concept and models of smart cities, he elucidated the consensus, core elements, and potential applications regarding the logic of engineering smart cities. He then delved into the development trajectory of smart cities from various perspectives including governmental, societal, and corporate angles, offering pragmatic suggestions. By citing examples such as legal frameworks, value recognition, and management models, he proposed a development ecological model for smart cities and the scientific inquiries it entails.
Academician Shen Changxiang of the Chinese Academy of Engineering delivered a special presentation titled “Pioneering a New Era of Safe and Trustworthy Ecology for Smart Cities.” He emphasized that without network security, there can be no national security, and security stands as a fundamental prerequisite for development. Smart cities, built upon ubiquitous network connectivity and multi-dimensional digital integration, provide resources and capabilities to intelligently manage urban affairs, thereby achieving a high degree of intelligence, security, and trustworthiness while offering on-demand services. To achieve this objective, it is imperative to establish a secure and trustworthy framework in line with the legal, strategic, and institutional requirements of network security.
President Wu Jianmin of the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology delivered a special presentation titled “Utilizing Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Urban Governance.” In his address, he outlined the application practices of big data and artificial intelligence in five key areas: digital economy, digital government, urban life, urban security, and think tank support. He underscored the potential and achievements of these technologies in enhancing urban operational efficiency, addressing security risks, and enhancing residents’ quality of life. President Wu also provided detailed insights into the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology’s application cases in the realm of smart cities, aiming to make urban governance more intelligent. His presentation serves as a valuable reference and source of inspiration for this advancement.
Liu Qiang, Deputy Director of the China Center for Urban and Small Town Reform and Development (CUCRD), delivered a special presentation titled “New Path and Mode for Quality Development of Next-Generation Smart Cities.” He introduced the background and significance of building next-gen smart cities, examining the challenges and shortcomings they face based on the current status and local case studies. Additionally, he proposed feasible pathway suggestions to address these issues and advance high-quality development in new smart cities.
The Vice President of the North China University of Technology, Wang Li, delivered a report titled “City Road Traffic Signal Active Control and Safety Game Oriented towards V2X Vehicle-Road Collaboration”. In his presentation, he proposed key technologies such as integrated perception of “people-vehicle-road-control” based on intelligent vehicle-road collaboration and active control of traffic signals in various scenarios. These technologies aim to achieve proactive optimization and safety control of urban road traffic systems. Wang’s insights contribute significantly to advancing the theoretical and technological framework for building China’s unique large-scale urban traffic network control system.
During the keynote session of the conference, Professor Jiang Jie from Beijing University of Architecture, who also serves as the Secretary-General of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), Professor Liu Chi, Vice Dean of the School of Computer Science at Beijing Institute of Technology, Professor Chen Guihong, Head of the Platform Management Department at Beijing Big Data Center, and Professor-level Senior Engineer, Vice President Tao Yingchun from Beijing Municipal Institute of Surveying and Mapping, and Mr. Hu Renzhi, General Manager of Beijing Shoutong Smart City Technology Innovation Co., Ltd., each delivered presentations in their fields. They shared in-depth research and insights on topics such as urban spatiotemporal information modelling and service technologies, as well as the planning and implementation of smart city infrastructure in Beijing.
The event featured academic discussions on various topics, including the Forum on Geographic Information and Smart City Development, the Forum on Smart Emergency Application and Development, the Seminar on Sub-Center Smart City Development, the 2024 Conference on Smart City Industry (Tongzhou) Cooperation Matchmaking, the Forum on Beidou Navigation and Intelligent Transportation, and the Forum on Artificial Intelligence Application and Smart City. These discussions provided new insights into smart city development. Nearly 600 experts, scholars, and researchers from various industries nationwide attended the event, and approximately 10,000 professional technicians from both domestic and international backgrounds watched the proceedings online through the Zhongguancun Forum website.
During the conference, the Beijing Smart City Spatiotemporal Information Conference held a themed exhibition on smart cities. Multiple organizations showcased exemplary cases and advanced equipment technologies in the smart city field.
