A business founder in Qinhuangdao recently obtained his company license without stepping foot in a government hall or waiting for mail delivery, praising the process as time-saving and hassle-free. Lin Bin, founder of Qinhuangdao Xuanzhe Market Operations Management Co., Ltd., had submitted his enterprise registration application on the Hebei Government Services website. After receiving a notification that his license was ready, he decided to try the "AI Service Hall" smart terminal installed in his residential community.
Following the on-screen instructions, Lin entered the "Government Services" section, selected "License Printing," swiped his ID card, and watched as the cabinet opened to neatly store his company seals while the printer simultaneously produced his brand-new business license. The entire process took only a few minutes.
This convenience stems from Qinhuangdao's innovative "One-Stop Smart Terminal" government service model. While many regions in Hebei Province have been promoting "one-network processing" and "one-window services" to reduce the need for citizens to visit multiple departments or submit duplicate materials, collecting certificates and printing documents—the so-called "last mile" of government services—still required a trip to the service hall or waiting for postal delivery. Qinhuangdao has addressed this by extending services from the internet to people's neighborhoods, creating a "Five-Minute Government Service Circle."
According to the Qinhuangdao Data and Government Services Bureau, 166 "One-Stop Service Shared Hall" smart terminals have been installed across residential areas, commercial districts, enterprise parks, and schools. These terminals support 348 government service items and offer nine convenience services including inquiry, printing, and payment. Operating 24/7, the terminals also integrate courier locker functions, allowing users to both handle business and collect packages. Since the pilot program began in 2020, the terminals have covered six digital application scenarios including communities and rural areas, serving over 10,000 people and businesses daily.
The key to this system's success lies in data connectivity. The Qinhuangdao Data and Government Services Bureau has led efforts to integrate provincial and municipal government platforms, enabling seamless data sharing across household registration, social security, business information, and housing provident fund systems. Citizens can authenticate through facial recognition at the terminals, which automatically retrieve necessary information without requiring paper documents.
But making data available is just the foundation; using it effectively is the real challenge. The bureau, along with relevant departments and terminal operators, spent two years building a comprehensive policy knowledge base covering government and convenience services, aggregating millions of data entries. This knowledge base powers the AI assistant feature on the terminals. When citizens ask about services, the AI responds instantly, providing precise document checklists and requirements, and even allows users to save conversation results with a single screenshot for future reference.
"Now I can ask questions anytime right outside my building, like having a personal government service assistant," Lin said. Data security is equally important. Wang Feng, business division director of the terminal operating company, explained that they have established a "data usable but not visible" mechanism. The backend system only accesses data fields for verification and does not store or retain any personal sensitive information, ensuring privacy protection while maximizing data value.
The service extends beyond basic functions. The smart terminals have added channels for collecting public opinions and feature an "AI Business Environment Qin Service Representative" interactive system that provides round-the-clock guidance for government affairs and handles feedback on business environment issues, further optimizing the local investment climate.
By enabling data to travel more, citizens need to travel less. From making trips to the service hall to staying within their communities, from office-hours-only service to 24/7 self-service, and from "one-network processing" to "one-stop terminals," Qinhuangdao's Five-Minute Government Service Circle represents not just efficiency but a commitment to serving the people.