Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
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People have meals at an AI-powered canteen in Wenhua community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
The Xiong’an New Area in north China’s Hebei Province, designed to relieve Beijing of its non-essential functions, has been leveraging smart and considerate public services to facilitate daily life of relocated residents.
At Wenhua community in the startup section of Xiong’an New Area, an AI-powered canteen serves as a vivid example of how emerging consumption scenarios makes people feel better with their lives.
At the canteen, automatic settlement system quickly verifies a customer’s identity through facial recognition technology, and associates the food tray with his or her personal information to ensure a seamless payment process. Moreover, the serving zone inside the canteen also has smart devices capable of body weighing, calorie intake-tracking, detailed health status reporting as well as personalized dietary suggestions.
People choose food at an AI-powered canteen in Wenhua community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)A senior resident chooses food at an AI-powered canteen in Wenhua community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)People have meals at an AI-powered canteen in Wenhua community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)A multi-functional health service device is pictured at an AI-powered canteen in Wenhua community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
The Chunmingbei community canteen in Rongdong District of the Xiong’an New Area, for its part, helps ease the burden on working parents by providing affordable dinners for their school-attending children. Nanwenying community canteen, also in Rongdong, offers tiered discounts to senior diners of 60 and above on their meals.
Children choose food at a canteen in Chunmingbei community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)After-school children have meals at a canteen in Chunmingbei community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)People have meals at a canteen in Nanwenying community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
Besides community canteens, community book stores and supermarkets further add to the convenience of local residents. Xiong’an New Area is building a well-managed and friendly community through meticulous public services.
A staff member arranges books at a book store in Wenhua community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)A resident shops at a supermarket in Wenhua community in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province, Nov. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan Founder & Chair, Global Silk Route Research Alliance
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance,
a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went
back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016,
working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…