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China City Talk: How Shanghai is turning public spaces, technology and social care into everyday services_我的网站

一 | 外国游客欣赏人形机器人弹钢琴。　南都记者　刘施阳　摄外国游客在深圳人才公园体验美团无人机送外卖。

Aerial view of Shanghai's skyline Photo: VCGEditor's Note:
An international metropolis on the shores of the East China Sea, a new migrant city rising from the Gobi Desert... China's cities embody a remarkable range of forms and efforts etched across a diverse range of landscapes, all of which is reflected in the everyday lives of ordinary people.
No two cities look alike, yet the standard by which we measure a city's warmth is familiar: Is there a place to rest safely? Is there a hot, decent meal to eat? Is there a corner where even the most vulnerable are treated with care and dignity? These seemingly small details are, in fact, what make a city truly moving.
The Global Times is launching a new series, "China City Talk." In this series, we explore cities across China, focusing on the everyday rhythms of life shaped by the human warmth of public policy and the quiet ways urban governance transforms individual lives. These stories offer one of the clearest windows into contemporary China.
Inside a historic red-brick building that houses a Party-mass service complex, run by a local grass-roots organization of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Kunqu opera enthusiast Li Qin rehearses with her retired friends. Many of the complex's spaces are open to the public, and in its elegantly old-fashioned hall, the arias of the classical opera float gently through the air.
At an AI-equipped community canteen for the elderly, a robotic arm skillfully prepares bowls of noodles. Affordable dishes line the serving windows, and 62-year-old Ao Yongjian, who lives nearby, joins the queue as he always does, choosing the dishes he likes.
In a mixed-use commercial block, a class at a rehabilitation center for children with autism is suddenly interrupted by a sharp cry from 9-year-old Xiaozheng (pseudonym). A volunteer beside him gently takes his hand and comforts him in a soft voice.
In Shanghai, scenes like these unfold almost every day, in every corner of the city. From some 12,000 Party-masses service complexes to more than 500 community elderly canteens and the city's first summer vacation care program for children with autism, this metropolis is responding to the needs of every single citizen with remarkable care and precision.
A robotic arm cooks noodles at Hongqiao AI community canteen. Photo: Courtesy of the canteen

A robotic arm cooks noodles at Hongqiao AI community canteen. Photo: Courtesy of the canteen
A shared home
With its photogenic looks and downtown location, a Party-masses service complex in the Jing'an district's Shimen Road No.2 subdistrict has gone viral on social media, drawing visitors from near and far almost every day.
Set beside Suzhou Creek, the service complex is made up of three century-old, red brick villas. After being restored in September 2025, many areas were reopened to the public free of charge. Residents now come here to read, chat, dance, and even play chess with AI robots.
There is also a "care station," which provides convenient services for couriers, delivery riders and other workers on the go.
At noon, courier Wang Jun stopped by to warm up his lunch and take a short break. He told the Global Times that, because he is always busy, he used to eat lunch squatting by the roadside, or grab a brief rest in the lobbies of some companies. "Now that this place is here, I can eat a hot meal at noon and get out of the rain when it pours," he said with a smile. "It feels like home."
Delivery rider Wang Shuwei first came here on a rainy day while delivering food. On her period at the time, she found the restroom, only to realize she had forgotten to bring a pad. Fortunately, a janitor pointed out that the "care station" offered free pads.
"At that moment, I thought, how can something be this good?" Wang said. She has since become a regular. "The words 'Party-masses service complex' used to sound like something that had nothing to do with me. But after coming here, I realized there are real services here, and the staff are all very kind."
Behind these services lies carefully conducted surveys of nearby residents.
According to He Hanqing, director of the service complex, the renovation began after more than 1,000 feedback forms were collected online and offline. "Many residents wanted the complex to be closer to Suzhou Creek. They wanted a community canteen, while some young people wanted a shared office space, and parents wanted areas to play with their children," she said. They then integrated indoor and outdoor spaces into a single design, extending the renovation to include the surrounding Suzhou Creek promenade and the space beneath nearby bridges.
Today, the service complex receives an average of 4,000 visits a day. More than 30 percent of visitors come from outside the local community, 12 percent are tourists from elsewhere in China, and 7.7 percent are from overseas, according to data provided by the complex staff. In this highly urban complex, where rent for commercial land is extremely expensive, the place has become a shared home for many.
"We are not doing the math in terms of economic returns, but in terms of public sentiment," He Hanqing told the Global Times. "It is worth it to open up precious land to the public for free."
Warming stomachs and hearts
Around 11 am in Shanghai's Hongqiao subdistrict, the aroma of freshly cooked food drifts out of a community canteen. Named a "community canteen for the elderly," it is actually open to everyone, not just seniors.
Through a glass wall, a robotic arm in the back kitchen deftly picks up a tray of washed vegetables and delivers it into an intelligent cooking chamber. Within minutes, stir-fried cabbage is ready to serve. Braised pork, zucchini with scrambled eggs… more than a dozen dishes stand neatly lined up across the counter
Opened in 2021, this is one of Shanghai's earliest AI community canteens. The dishes here are prepared by machines and an AI system. According to the canteen's manager, Dong Yong, the system contains more than 3,000 recipes and can precisely regulate oil and salt use. Beyond its AI features, the canteen also offers full traceability for its ingredients, from procurement to processing.
What really puts diners at ease, however, are the prices. A vegetarian dish costs 4.5 yuan (67 cents), meat dishes range from 6 to 9 yuan, and some specialty items sell for 12 to 18 yuan, according to a price list on the wall.
Seniors aged 60 and above can enjoy discounts and subsidies. "A meal here costs me about 15 yuan on average - it's tasty and a good value," said resident Ao. Since retiring, Ao has come almost every day.
So how can the canteen turn a profit while charging below-market prices? He Junting, an official from the Hongqiao subdistrict, explained that the canteen is part of a government-supported partnership.
The local government provides the venue rent-free, allowing the restaurant to pass on the savings to customers. "That's why the prices are so affordable," she told the Global Times.
After choosing her dishes, a 70-year-old resident surnamed Du sat down at a table and chatted with the Global Times as she ate. Her husband is in the hospital, leaving her little time to cook for herself, so she comes here for lunch four or five days a week.
"The food here is healthy and the prices are friendly. I don't have to bother buying groceries or washing dishes myself," Du said. "The government really has solved an important problem for us older people."
During lunchtime, white-haired seniors, office workers and cleaning staff alike share the same dining space, giving the canteen a lively, down-to-earth atmosphere. Whether powered by AI or run in more traditional ways, these affordable community canteens can be found in nearly every neighborhood across Shanghai - warming both stomachs and hearts.
Accompanied by a volunteer, a child with autism plays toys at Palm Star Children's Rehabilitation Service Center in Shanghai on July 30, 2026. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

Accompanied by a volunteer, a child with autism plays toys at Palm Star Children's Rehabilitation Service Center in Shanghai on July 30, 2026. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

Accompanied by a volunteer, a child with autism plays with toys at Palm Star Children's Rehabilitation Service Center in Shanghai on July 30, 2026. Photo: Chen Xia/GT
Much love and care
This summer, Shanghai launched a pilot program for children with autism in three districts, including Changning, marking the city's first attempt at such a summer daycare service.
The Palm Star Children's Rehabilitation Service Center, a professional rehab facility for children with autism, is located in Changning. There, 10 children attend the program, with each child paired with a volunteer.
In the classroom, laughter mixes with sudden cries. When one child has an emotional outburst, a volunteer gently calms him down; when another seems lost in her own world, the volunteer stays by her side, guiding her patiently.
Xiaozheng has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. When his mother fell ill and his father grew busy caring for her, his grandmother was left to look after him alone. In previous summers, Xiaozheng could only stay at home. This year, however, the summer vacation program gave the boy somewhere to go.
Each session of the program lasts three weeks and costs only 600 yuan - less than one-tenth of what a commercial institution might charge. For families like Xiaozheng's, which are struggling financially, this fee is covered by the local government.
In Shanghai, children with physical, intellectual or mental disabilities also receive annual care and living subsidies.
Caring for children with autism is a lifelong process, and summer vacations have long been a gap in that support, said Chu Lin, director of the center. She explained that the program is the result of joint efforts from government subsidies, social organizations and donations from caring enterprises. "Every child has the right to education. By learning here and practicing simple daily living skills and social interaction, we hope their situation can gradually improve."
Among the volunteers is 21-year-old Kalahala Nuerbaishan, a university student majoring in special education. Before taking up her post, she and the other volunteers completed two rounds of professional training.
She shared that at the program, one boy under her care had been silent all day at first, but now he raises his hand to ask for tissues on his own. "Small progress like that gives me a great sense of accomplishment," the volunteer told the Global Times.
Lunchtime arrives. Accompanied by volunteers, the children wash their hands, line up and collect their meals. Some are already seated; others are still restless. Yet the special education teachers and volunteers remain patient, trying again and again to communicate with them.
In Shanghai, the most scenic stretch along the Suzhou Creek waterfront has been left for ordinary residents; the most advanced technology is being used to prepare three meals a day; and the most professional expertise is supporting the most vulnerable children.
This metropolis, as many people living there told the Global Times, is interpreting the meaning of "cities are built by the people, for the people" in the quiet, everyday acts of care that speak the loudest.
。　新华社发李晓明与米卢在深圳体验无人驾驶出租车。

二 | 　受访者供图马来西亚首都吉隆坡，电影《给阿嬷的情书》特别展映现场。　新华社发这个夏天，海外社交平台上关于中国的热词接连刷屏——从深入人心的“China　Travel”，到火爆全网的“China　Cool”，它们正在全球社交语境中，从多个维度构建出全新的中国“Cool”印象。走在深圳街头，科技感随处可见:全球首家机器人6S店里，机器人能弹钢琴、做咖啡；商圈内无人机送外卖十分钟即可到达，无人物流车夜间有序穿行，路口还有机器人交警值守。英国游客Arthur　Ashcroft体验后感叹:“这些机器人超级酷，深圳就像一座未来之城。

三 | ” APEC“深圳之约”进入倒计时，南都记者走访、连线发现，“China　Cool”在深圳有了多层内涵。

四 | 这座崛起于南海之滨的梦想之城，正受到亚太媒体人的高度关注。

五 | 8月24日，《印度尼西亚商报》副总编辑孙继飞(Jack　Sun)惊叹于深圳前沿科创快速落地、普惠民生的实践，他对南都记者说，深圳包容氛围与创新土壤，是值得印尼借鉴的核心经验。巴布亚新几内亚巴新中文网创办人陈炳文(Simon　Chen)通过南都点赞深圳开放共享的城市气质，期待以APEC这一契机为区域内发展中经济体带来新机遇。《菲律宾星报》资深评论员李天荣(Wilson　Lee　Flores)则从深圳出品的电影《给阿嬷的情书》在海外热映，读出跨越地域的共通情感，看到人文交流作为区域合作纽带的深厚价值。前沿科创 “随处可见新建筑、机器人和人工智能技术” 2026世界机器人大会前夕，南都记者探访了位于深圳龙岗的全球首家机器人6S店，不同国家的到访游客都被这里的科技应用深深震撼。 10岁的英国男孩Arthur　Ashcroft正和一台带动作捕捉的“灵巧手”玩石头剪刀布。他向南都记者感叹道，“这些机器人超级酷、充满未来感。深圳就像是一座未来之城。” 今年暑假，像Arthur一家这样专程来深圳体验机器人的外国游客数不胜数。 “外国游客落地深圳体验后，给出的最多评价就是‘Cool’。他们说，深圳很多科技产品，之前见都没见过。”拥有24年从业经验的深圳英文导游韦妙容说。 19岁加拿大少年Leo和他的妹妹，将成年后第一次结伴出国旅行目的地选在了深圳。

六 | 他在一台咖啡机器人前驻足拍照，并告诉南都记者，“没想到在深圳能看到这么多真实的机器人和人工智能技术相结合的应用场景。” 来自迪拜的两兄弟Mike　Mekhjian与Mohamed　Benzaoui，被一台“会功夫”的机器人吸引，现场追问平衡控制的原理，并赞叹能有如此稳定性“不可思议”。 75岁的Cris　Tan和64岁的Linda是一对马来西亚夫妇。Cris告诉南都记者，上一次来深圳还是20年前，这座城市的变化实在太大了。Linda说，“一切都非常先进，随处可见新建筑、机器人和人工智能技术，超乎我们的想象。

七 | ” “前沿科技创新已完全融入普通人的日常里” 在福田区，人形机器人探索参与地铁安检；在南山区，机器人开始制作咖啡；在宝安区，机器人提供“不打烊”的夜间政务服务；在前海，机器人可以陪人打网球、做爆米花…… 机器人正融入深圳居民的日常生活，而这些也是亚太媒体关注的焦点。其中，新加坡《海峡时报》发布的视频显示“深圳机器人交警开始执勤”。

八 | “早年海外对深圳的印象还停留在华强北，现在你随便在深圳街头走一走，就能接触到很多让外国人惊叹的创新科技。”《印度尼西亚商报》副总编辑、新媒体中心CEO孙继飞向南都记者评价道。孙继飞分享了两个他亲身经历的细节。约两年前，他在深圳第一次体验无人机配送外卖，如今这一应用场景已是常态化运营。更让他印象深刻的是，深圳已经向企业功能型无人车开放夜间路权，全市投入运营的无人快递车辆达数万台。“这对很多外国人来说是不可置信的，他们很难想象，前沿的科技创新已经完全融入了普通人深夜收快递的日常里。” 在孙继飞看来，深圳这座城市最有竞争力之处，便是多元化的包容氛围以及让技术快速落地、让创新快速普惠的政策土壤，这也是当前印尼推进城市现代化需要借鉴的核心经验。

九 | 谈及即将在深圳举办的APEC会议，孙继飞表示他将重点关注亚太区域产业链体系化合作、中小企业出海和绿色转型这三大议题。他举例道，关于亚太区域产业链体系化合作，如印尼等东南亚国家拥有丰富的自然资源，与中国的生产制造业相结合，形成优势互补，实现互利共赢。

十 | 同时，他希望以深圳为标杆，打造亚太中小企业出海的服务样板，依托商会与多边合作平台，为中小企业提供系统化支撑，让更多中小企业能够顺利扎根东南亚市场。此外，孙继飞还将聚焦绿色转型领域的经验共享，期待深圳建设绿色低碳城市、推进碳中和的落地实践，能够通过APEC平台分享给亚太各经济体。城市气质山海连城、创造未来、包容开放随着APEC“深圳时间”进入百日倒计时，这座城市正在以开放包容的姿态迎接全球宾客，而百万粉丝博主、文旅推介官李晓明(@晓明哥DonLee)的实测视频，恰好成为观察深圳国际友好生活环境的一扇窗口。李晓明向南都记者用了三个词概括他眼中的深圳:山海连城、创造未来、包容开放。“在深圳，你会感觉这座城市一直在向前发展、不断创造未来。身处其中，你也会被这种向前的力量带动，觉得自己不仅是在见证未来，也可以参与其中。” 实测视频缘起于海外粉丝提问“不会中文，能来深圳吗”，李晓明从深圳机场出发，观察机场、地铁、街道、商场、公园等场所的指示牌是否有英文且清晰易懂，体验不会中文的外国游客能否顺利在这座城市游览、生活，用镜头串联起深圳的便民服务细节。不少海外网友在视频下留言分享自己的旅行经历。有罗马尼亚游客对比其2006年到访上海时只能前往涉外酒店求助的经历，直言“如今中国的变化太大了”；还有美国游客回忆自己不会中文，却仅凭手机翻译和随处可见的友善帮助，在深圳顺利完成了近一个月的旅行，彻底爱上了这座城市的包容氛围。在基础公共服务之上，深圳的智慧城市建设也为外籍人士提供了更多超出预期的便利。 7月底，李晓明在瑞士韦尔比耶举行的文旅推介会上，还专门分享了他和国际知名足球教练米卢一同呼叫无人驾驶出租车的经历。即使不懂本地语言，也可以通过智能翻译软件联动出行平台，无障碍完成叫车、出行全流程，80多岁的米卢都能轻松体验的智能交通服务，更是向全球游客传递了深圳“科技友好”的鲜明特质。期待“开放之城”“科技之城”的深圳之约遍布全城的智能终端配套了多语言交互功能，跨境支付场景深度覆盖线下商户，翻译类智慧应用嵌入各类公共服务端口……这些数字化的便民设计，让外籍居民和游客无需掌握本地语言，就可以顺畅使用各类公共资源、完成日常消费，细节处尽显深圳的开放魅力。 “开放之城”“科技之城”，也是巴布亚新几内亚巴新中文网创办人陈炳文对深圳的城市印象。

十一 | 他曾多次到访深圳，对深圳城市发展经验抱有极高的评价。对于APEC“深圳之约”，陈炳文充满了期待。他表示，希望这场落户深圳的国际盛会以包容开放之姿持续发力，为建设包括巴新在内的亚太大家庭持续贡献力量。在他看来，APEC会议选址深圳意义特别，“将通过开放布局，推动构建亚太地区数字经济、新能源科技创新发展的蓝图，并为像巴新这样区域内较不发达的小规模经济体带来更好的发展机会”。

十二 | 陈炳文告诉南都记者，近年来，深圳已深度参与到巴新的发展进程中，在教育、通信、基础设施建设、新能源等领域都有所建树。“借本届APEC会议的机遇，巴新能够更加深入学习和借鉴深圳最初的发展思路和经验，立足自身丰富的自然资源，探索适合自己的开放创新之路，从而更好地向中国开放，向亚太地区开放。”陈炳文说。 2026年是中国与巴新建交50周年，也是深圳与巴新首都莫尔斯比港缔结友好交流城市关系10周年。

十三 | 陈炳文特别提及两地结为友好城市后落地的首个合作项目——中国—巴新友谊学校·布图卡学园。这所2018年APEC会议期间启用的学校，八年间已解决当地数千名中小学生“上学难”的问题，为南太平洋地区带来了更新颖的办学经验。人文交流 “电影‘阿嬷’超越了语言和地域” 在APEC“中国年”背景下，随着越来越多文化产品走向亚太地区，深圳与APEC其他经济体的交流不只发生在经贸往来合作层面。一场演出、一部电影，也是理解彼此的入口。深圳原创出品电影《给阿嬷的情书》，正在成为一张连接深圳与亚太成员的人文“名片”。这部以侨批文化为纽带、以潮汕方言讲述家庭与乡愁的电影，海外累计票房已突破1亿元，并陆续登陆马来西亚、越南、泰国等多国院线。《给阿嬷的情书》讲述的是一个华人家庭的故事，但其中关于迁徙、亲情、乡愁与故土的情感，正在亚太地区不同群体中找到共鸣。

十四 | 菲律宾英文媒体《马尼拉时报》刊发评论文章《电影如何成为连接菲律宾与中国的桥梁》。文章认为，电影通过华人华侨与海外菲律宾人的共同经历，展现身份、归属与离乡奋斗等共同主题，能够成为增进菲中民众理解的文化桥梁。这种文化共鸣，在菲律宾观众的真实观影体验中得到了进一步印证。《菲律宾星报》资深评论员、专栏作家李天荣告诉南都记者，他本人已经观看《给阿嬷的情书》三次，分别受不同菲律宾华人组织邀请。每一次观看，他都会忍不住热泪盈眶。 “电影以极具人情味的方式，让菲律宾观众了解华人家庭的历史，以及他们在异国他乡奋斗和坚守的故事。”李天荣说，电影所讲述的并非一个遥远的中国故事，而是包含着许多菲律宾人也能够理解的共同经历——离乡、谋生、家庭团聚，以及对更好生活的追求。在李天荣看来，电影让菲律宾观众从一个华人家庭的故事出发，进一步理解华人华侨在海外生活的历史，也让不同族群意识到彼此之间存在的共同情感。“这种共同的情感，让电影超越了语言和地域。” 深圳通过文化表达展现城市人文温度这种从银幕延伸到现实的文化回响，也发生在新加坡和马来西亚。新加坡亚洲新闻台近日报道称，电影上映后，新马潮州裔寻根咨询明显增加，越来越多人开始寻找祖籍、重新联系失散亲人。马来西亚客家公会联合会副秘书长黄观友就曾告诉南都记者，随着电影热映，当地华人寻根个案明显增多，有人翻出尘封多年的老照片，有人重新寻找祖辈留下的名字，还有人带着仅存的一两个姓名，找到客家公会，希望寻回自己的根。南都此前追踪报道，受电影《给阿嬷的情书》触动，马来西亚侨胞丘应权在今年7月决定回广东寻根。他的祖父于上世纪初远赴南洋谋生，只留下英文家乡地名“Wenfu　Baihu，Sanheng”和几个音译的亲人名字。经广东梅州市蕉岭县侨联及当地乡贤、宗亲接力寻访，丘应权一家最终与失联近百年的祖籍地重新建立联系。从电影引发的感情共鸣，到方言、侨批重新唤起海外华侨华人的家族记忆，再到跨越近百年的寻根之旅，电影《给阿嬷的情书》所连接的，已不只是银幕内外的人物故事，更是一条连接中国与海外侨胞的精神纽带。深圳也正在通过这样的文化表达，让更多亚太友人感知中国城市的人文温度，在交流与共鸣中进一步了解彼此。