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.
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二 | 代表电信设备制造商的电信行业协会（TIA）周五表示，政府的关闭减缓了需要FCC认证的设备的引进速度，并可能最终影响5G网络的部署。TIA负责政府事务的高级副总裁肉桂·罗杰斯说，美国政府的关闭恰逢美国需要在5G竞争中保持领先地位的关键时刻。如果企业不能获得必要的FCC认证，将对新网络设备的批准产生严重的负面影响。

三 | 这些设备的目标是实现5G的部署和5G支持的下一代技术的完整生态系统。在众议院和参议院未能就美国总统特朗普花费50亿美元修建边界墙达成一致后，美国政府于12月22日开始部分关闭。但似乎不会很快结束——民主党和特朗普都没有表现出屈服于他们要求的迹象。僵局对80万联邦工人产生了真正的经济影响，这些工人自上周五停工以来没有拿到第一份工资。但事件的涟漪效应已开始蔓延，科技产业也受到影响，一些设备制造商被迫暂停产品发布。政府关门的影响是什么？联邦通信委员会在1月3日正式停止了大部分工作，但保留了一些任务，例如正在进行的5G频谱拍卖。但是该机构已经有超过80%的员工在临时休假，并且关闭了认证机构用来与产品开发人员和实验室合作的几个数据库。根据联邦通信委员会的要求，大多数发射射频能量的新设备都经过认证，以确保这种能量不会伤害人类或干扰使用无线电频谱的其他产品或服务。