This report adopts a process-oriented definition of community governance. In other words, community governance is a process in which public affairs and public services at the community level are governed through collaboration within networks that consist of at least two of the following five subjects: 1) government organizations, 2) private organizations, 3) social organizations, 4) resident self-governance organizations, and 5) individual residents.  

In China's post-1978 reform era, transformations at the macro level and governance innovations at the micro-level have often been intertwined. On the one hand, country-wide acceleration of urbanization has contributed to the gradual disintegration of China's traditional rural governance system. On the other hand, existing governance system has become increasingly incompatible with the current needs of communities and unable to adapt to future trends in community development. These two factors suggest the importance of studies on governance innovations that are being developed by various communities. Such studies, in turn, may even offer insights into how to better establish a modern governance system at the macro level in China. 

Drawing on the analyses of close to 100 cases collected by our research team, this report offers a summary of five major forms of Chinese community governance innovations. The main body of this report is, therefore, divided into five parts, each dedicated to one form. The report ends with some brief concluding remarks.  

1. Strengthening cross-departmental collaboration and delegating governance power

This form has emerged in the process of addressing two community governance challenges associated with current compartmentalized structure of the government. Horizontally, it is difficult for various government departments to collaborate. Vertically, communities tend to lack power. 

With regard to the horizontal challenge, "Xihaianxinqu shehuizhilizhongxin" (or "Social Governance Center of West Coast New Town" in English) in Qingdao City provides an illustrative case. The center was established in 2014, integrating individual hotlines of 23 government departments into one hotline under the name of "Yihaotong 6712345" (or "One number for all 6712345" in English). The center is in charge of guiding and coordinating tasks related to town-wide social governance. Therefore, its main responsibilities include communicating decisions made by its higher authorities, managing potential problems and public complaints, and evaluating task implementation. 

With respect to the vertical challenge, a working mechanism in Jinhaihu Town of Pinggu District of Beijing City serves as a good example. The mechanism is dubbed "Xiangzhenchuishao, Bumenbaodao", meaning that once a village or a town said it, a government department heard it. This immediate response mechanism was devised in 2017 in the process of addressing the problem of illegal gold mining in Pinggu District. The mechanism required that a government department must send relevant personnel to the scene of a reported case within 30 minutes. Consolidated by effective case-by-case evaluation, the mechanism has successfully eradicated illegal gold mining in the district. Then, Pinggu District Government applied this mechanism to the governance of other pressing issues (e.g., construction of unapproved project, damage to ecosystem, and work safety), which in turn have all yielded positive results. Noteworthy is that Beijing municipal party committee has adopted this mechanism and delegated governance power even further to the village level. 

2. Promoting the participation of social forces in community governance

This second form of community governance innovation has emerged in the context of a key trend in public services at the community level, namely the rapid growth in and diversification of residents' needs in this regard. In the traditional governance system, public services at the community level were provided mainly by subdistrict government in urban China and township government in rural China. However, local governments have found it increasingly challenging to adapt to the trend financially and professionally. A consensus, therefore, has been reached that social forces need to be incorporated into community governance. 

One case is that Shanghai municipal party committee and Shanghai municipal government have attempted to create a conducive environment for such incorporation by encouraging subdistricts and towns to establish community foundations. Compared with other types of foundations, community foundations have two strengths. First, they tend to focus more on community affairs with their professional expertise. For instance, Community Foundation of Yangjing Subdistrict has provided services targeting the needs of a wide range of age groups (e.g., children, high school students, and seniors). Second, community foundations tend to create more opportunities for community residents to participate in the governance of community projects. As an important source of funds for community foundations, community residents are entitled to participate in the decision-making process and evaluation process of specific community projects.  

Another case is that Nanshan District Government in Shenzhen City has attempted to shift its role from public service provider to public service purchaser. In 2013 the government spent 780 million RMB on more than 20 public services provided by 148 social organizations. The expense accounted for 9 percent of the whole district government expenditure that year, and the purchased services included but were not limited to public education, training and employment, culture and sports, public transport, social welfare, and public safety. Furthermore, the district government has supported and guided more than 1,700 social organizations to participate in community public service provision. Now Nanshan District Government is no longer the sole provider of community public services. Instead, it serves as an agent linking and integrating various social forces and resources in this regard. It deserves mentioning though that purchase of public services does not mean deregulation in this case. Rather, the district government inspects and assesses to what extent the purchased services have met the needs of community residents. Only with this inspection and assessment would 

3. Activating communities' vitality and reforming community culture

The third form of Chinese community governance innovation has taken shape in the process of addressing communities' lack of cohesion and residents' indifference to community affairs.   

In the case of Hesilu Village of Chengxijiedao of Yiwu City in Zhejiang Province, a rural governance innovation project by the name of "Gongdeyinhang" (or "Bank of Merit" in English) has effectively promoted moral values and reconstructed family-like relations among villagers. Each villager has an account in the Bank, keeping a record of his/her good words and deeds as claimed by oneself or by others. Such claims can also be filed retroactively. The record is then reverted to points according to certain pre-set criteria. All villagers' points are published in the form of quarterly report, a document that functions as an important criterion for bank loan application and homestead allocation. Assessment of points are conducted by four parties, namely Village Party Branch Committee, Villagers' Committee, Village Affairs Supervisory Committee, and Voluntary Representatives of Villagers. Information regarding this assessment can be retrieved from Villagers' Committee. The villager accumulating the highest points within a year is recognized as "Outstanding Contributor of the Year", thus becoming a moral exemplar in the village. 

In the case of Tiancun Street Compound 40 of Haidian District of Beijing City, the compound has transformed its worn bicycle shed into a culture courtyard (i.e., a public space for all residents to enjoy and participate in cultural activities). The courtyard has contributed to the formation of eight culture-themed groups such as choral group, dance group, and knitting group. Activities associated with these groups have, in turn, improved community cohesion and fostered a culture marked by harmony and community engagement.

4. Incorporating migrant population into urban community governance

The fourth form of Chinese community governance innovation has developed in tandem with the massive flow of villagers into urban China in the reform era. Although this flow has brought labor force to cities, it has also brought certain governance challenges associated with the tension between migrant workers and established city residents. In the process of addressing these challenges, local governments have tried various methods to incorporate migrant population into the governance of urban communities where they live. 

One case is from Yangtze River Delta Region where migrant population's outnumbering established urban population is not a rare phenomenon. In Cixi, a county-level city of Ningbo City in Zhejiang Province, migrant population is 1.07 million, slightly more than that of established residents with Cixi Hukou. In the past decade, Cixi City witnessed around 600 conflicts between these two types of residents over some hot-button issues (e.g., employment, neighborhood relations, debts, and traffic accidents) every year. The city started a pilot program under the name of "Hexiecujinhui" (or "Harmony Promotion Association" in English) in two villages, aiming at effective management of such conflicts. While the village party branch secretary served as chair of the two associations respectively, a migrant worker served along the secretary as vice chair. Each village was further divided into wards based on demographic distribution, and ward leaders were selected from nominated members of the association in that village. This pilot program was then introduced to 504 service stations Cixi-wide, incorporating migrant people further into the governance of public services related to education and training, employment, and enrolment of children in schools.  

Local governments at Pearl River Delta Region have also adopted creative measures to incorporate migrant people into community governance. Sanyuanlijiedao, a subdistrict of Guangzhou City, provides an illustrative case. There are 103,000 residents in the subdistrict, but 56,000 are from migrant population. Hence, the majority of the residents are not established ones. Now each of the thirteen communities in Sanyuanlijiedao has included migrant people in the governance of communities where they reside now. This inclusion is achieved by the establishment of "Yishihui" (or "Deliberation Hall" in English). Among the thirteen members of a specific "Yishihui", it is required that six are from established residents, six from new residents, and one from subdistrict office. A decision is reached when two thirds of the thirteen members vote for a motion, and the decision is then implemented by neighborhood committee. On the platform of "Yishihui", migrant people have started to govern community affairs with established residents. 

It deserves mentioning that "Yishihui" has further led to another governance innovation: healthcare reimbursement for thousands of migrant workers from Honghu, a county-level city of Jingzhou City in Hubei Province. Sanyuanlijiedao subdistrict office and Honghu municipal government have agreed to include two hospitals in Guangzhou City in the network of medical institutions covered by the new rural cooperative medical insurance. This means that an insured migrant worker from Honghu City can receive reimbursement for his/her medical treatment incurred in Guangzhou City right at the place of his/her work. 

5. Building communities' capacity for public services 

The fifth and final form of community governance innovation has emerged in the context of diversified composition of resident population and diversified needs of residents. The traditional management-oriented governance system can no longer adapt to such diversification. Therefore, many communities have attempted to develop their own capacity to meet their residents' needs.

Yihai Compound of Changsha City in Hunan Province offers an illustrative case in this regard.  In order to answer residents' request for improving compound cultural environment, a library was established under the theme of "Gongxiangyibenshu, Zhongchouyizuotushuguan" – meaning "sharing a book with one another, building a library together". The compound library practices an inclusive and free book borrowing system. In other words, anyone living in or out of the compound can borrow books without charge as long as he/she donates books to the library. This library has in turn played an important role in developing a sense of community and social cohesion among residents who live in separate high rises within the same compound.

In the case of Luocheng Compound of Xuhui District of Shanghai City, "Weigaizao" (i.e., redevelopment without large-scale demolition or reconstruction) was adopted by realty management to address the challenge of limited parking space in the compound. Through effective communication, residents have agreed to remove their own parking barriers. In addition, existing parking space has been rearranged so that more than 70 extra parking spots are created. These two methods have in turn satisfied residents’ needs for secure and sufficient parking space.    

6. Concluding remarks

This report summarizes five major forms of Chinese community governance innovation. Nonetheless, this summary cannot cover all innovations that have emerged throughout China. It is hoped that these five forms may serve as a springboard for policymakers, practitioners, scholars, and other stakeholders to further explore Chinese community governance innovation.