Wuxi has spared no efforts in developing itself into a smart city in recent years in an effort to deal with the challenges created by rapid urbanization and economic growth.

In 2014, the city in Jiangsu province was selected as a core city for the Smart Cities Initiative by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a renowned professional technological organization headquartered in the United States. It is the only Asian one among the five core cities.

Wuxi has advanced its smart city development since then, with the project seen widely as a key to the city's future. Local policymakers said by 2020 Wuxi will become a safer, more convenient, more efficient and greener city by leveraging information communications technologies.

A smart city uses digital technologies to enhance performance and well-being, reduce costs and consumption of resources, and engage more effectively and actively with its citizens, according to the IEEE.

A smart city should be able to respond faster to local and global challenges than one that has a simple "transactional" relationship with its citizens, the institute said.

Wuxi National Sensor Network Innovation Demonstration Zone helps to advance the development of a smart city. PAN XIAOMING / FOR CHINA DAILY