By Xue Lingqiao
(ECNS) -- "A current visit to Shanghai and Jiangsu has provided valuable opportunities to reflect on the relationship between urban development, public space and quality of life. It has reinforced my interest in how cities can accommodate change while preserving their identity and responding to the needs of their communities. "
Recently, the "Explore People-Centered Cities: China's Governance, Global Engagement (Shanghai and Jiangsu)" event, organized by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, invited foreign diplomatic envoys to visit multiple sites in East China's Shanghai and Jiangsu, offering an in-depth look at China's people-centered urban governance philosophy and the practical achievements of the two places.
During the visit to Suzhou in East China's Jiangsu Province, Koula Sophianou, Ambassador of Cyprus to China, highly commended China's achievements in urban governance.
Rivers alongside streets and small bridges over flowing water form Suzhou's urban landscape. Kunqu opera, classical gardens, and Su Xiu embroidery have long become distinctive symbols by which the world recognizes China.
On the other hand, Suzhou nowadays, with 0.09% of the China's country land and 1% of the country's population, contributes 2% of the country's total economic output.
Suzhou is like the finest piece of Su Xiu embroidery—"double-sided embroidery", with one side rich in culture, the other prosperous in economy.
After touring Suzhou's iconic water town scenery and learning about the low-altitude economy at a local company, Sophianou told the press that Suzhou is known for its classical gardens, canals, and cultural heritage, while also being a center of modern industry and innovative development. This trip showed us how cultural heritage, science and technology, and forward-looking planning can truly complement one another.
"Urban governance has a simple purpose to make everyday life better. It's all people-centered," Sophianou said.
She pointed out that in Suzhou, diplomatic envoys from various countries have witnessed firsthand technology truly centered on people's needs, and what impressed her most was that drones in Chinese cities can detect forest fires, helping relevant authorities receive early warnings and take timely rescue measures.
"This is crucial, because we can see around the world that, affected by climate change, forest fires are becoming increasingly frequent. Therefore, early detection is particularly key. This is an embodiment of how technological progress and artificial intelligence can contribute to environmental protection and citizen safety," she said.
Located in the northeast of the Mediterranean, Cyprus has a land area of about 9,251 square kilometers and a total population of about 1.25 million. According to 2025 Eurostat data, Cyprus ranks among the top in the EU in individual AI usage, but enterprise adoption is far below average.
Therefore, the country is making artificial intelligence the core of its digital transformation, with its national artificial intelligence strategy laying out a roadmap through 2032.
In this regard, Sophianou introduced that the smart city plan of Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is using digital tools to manage parking, lighting, waste, and environmental monitoring, and to provide accessible parking information; the coastal city of Limassol provides parking service guidance and has developed smart lighting to improve energy efficiency. The city also brings together public institutions, enterprises, researchers, and citizens to jointly formulate a climate neutrality roadmap.
Taking the Greek word "polis (city)" as an example, she pointed out that in the course of historical development, the word gave rise to the related concept of "political community." She emphasized that this linguistic connection reminds us that a city should be a community, a community of people. Here, people share space, rights, and responsibilities, and citizens should be at the core of public life.
Based on this, Sophianou also found a point of convergence between the two civilizations in the Chinese context.
"I see a meaningful correspondence in the Chinese term 'shi min' (citizen), which means urban residents and likewise binds the urban area together with people. This also echoes China's principle of 'cities should be built by the people and for the people,'" Sophianou said.
She added that these traditions express the same fundamental concern in different ways: how to organize urban life around human well-being.
Sophianou concluded by summarizing that, for Cyprus, digital development is of great significance to the country's development and is key to its planning of sustainable communities. 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cyprus and China. On this occasion, she looks forward to the two countries deepening cooperation, focusing on common issues, and, building on existing ties, sharing practical experience in areas such as sustainable housing, urban ecology, heritage protection, and people-centered public services.
京公网安备 11010202009201号