Residents of WEDZ in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, stroll leisurely in a local park. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]
An action plan for the construction of 15-minute community living circles was enacted recently by the Wuhan government. Three communities located in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) were selected as demonstration communities for the living circles.
The document proposes that by 2025, Wuhan will build and rebuild 112 fifteen-minute community living circles, including 40 community business centers, enabling residents to enjoy convenient shopping, social, cultural and recreational services within a 15-minute walk.
Within three years, Wuhan aims to become a demonstration city for the development of 15-minute community living circles that feature a high quality of life, effective and targeted services, innovative and intelligent scenarios, and convenient shopping.
Wuhan also encourages convenience stores and supermarkets in the community to provide extra services in terms of item repair, printing, and household management.
Services and products in high demand by communities, such as services for elderly and infant care, special food, and reading resources, will be prioritized in the development of 15-minute living circles. In addition, efforts will be made to digitalize the circles by guiding business operators to create more immersive, experience-oriented, and interactive shopping scenarios.
The action plan also advocates the "enterprise + community" cooperation model, giving more authority to communities to manage surrounding businesses. Property management companies are advised to extend their services to elderly care, babysitting, express delivery and warehousing.
