A smart city in the modern world is the one that experiences a rapid process of growth, which combine comfort and technology. These cities are built to maximize the usage of technology and big data to enhance the standard living, minimize wastage and ensure effective development. The five BRICS members – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – have made tremendous advancement when it comes to the smart city concept. However, China is ahead of all and can be as model for the rest of the Global South to learn on how to best adopt the smart city concept with their respective context.

Together, the BRICS nations contain nearly 40 percent of the world’s population and some of the most rapidly growing cities. The problem is these nations are confronting with many issues concerning urban migration, environment issues and infrastructure. But smart cities provide a solution where digital technology that can ‘retrofit’ these urban centers to be more efficient, resilient and sustainable. Smart city projects are not just deployment of technologies for the countries of BRICS but also strategic initiatives to address governance and the citizens’ quality of life.

China’s smart city model is characterized by three core components: integral communication networks, PPP (public-private partnership) and analytical information systems.

Out of the BRICS members, China plays a most proactive role for realizing the smart city concept as a part of its urbanization policy. There are currently over 500 pilot smart cities in China. Its approach is about incorporating technology into planning and designing a city employing IoT devices, AI, and big data in everything ranging from traffic control to controlling energy usage.

China’s smart city model is characterized by three core components: integral communication networks, PPP (public-private partnership) and analytical information systems. It has all vested China’s urban centers in the digital age, made cities as points of connection, productivity, and innovation.

China has especially focused on the development of a strong digital platform. The country 5G network is arguably among the fastest and most comprehensive which enhances the network connectivity in all major cities. China’s smart cities built on a solid foundation of Fiber Optic Broadband and IoT devices to ensure data gathering and analysis in real time. For instance, in Shenzhen and Hangzhou, intelligent traffic management system that employ sensors as well as AI algorithms helps in making optimization of the traffic hence lesser congestion and pollution.

The success of smart city development in China also partly owing to that it established a PPP model. The role of the Chinese government, as an initiating party, include establishing the policy framework and allocating financial resources. On the other hand, the scientific and technological enterprises from the private sector, like Huawei and Alibaba, inject innovation and advanced technologies. Alibaba’s City Brain project in Hangzhou has transformed the way functions of a city are controlled through centralizing the flow of transportation, safety, and healthcare systems under an AI-based network. Such a cooperation example shows the audiences how the partnership can enhance the pace of smart city projects.

When it comes to the Global South, there is a need to determine what specific challenges affect various urban areas and design smart city-solutions based on these factors.

Another characteristic of the Chinese concept of smart cities is big data processing and analysis. Using data, such administrators in cities can make good decisions and even prevent problems from occurring or even give improved services. Analytics of large urban areas such as Beijing and Shanghai utilize data for the appropriate allocation of the city resources, and traffic and emergency response forecasting. The use of real-time data means that the different decisions made regarding the city services will be informed by the citizens’ needs.

Even though overall conditions in China might look different from those in other countries of the Global South, there are several positive practices that may be adopted. Due to resource constraints, political instability and unplanned fragmentations that small developing countries experience, an innovative strategy of emulating the China experience is the way forward for implementing smart cities.

This leads to one of the most significant learning: it’s more important to solve local problems with local means than to apply high-tech solutions. In China, smart cities are defined in accordance with the resolution of certain problems related to urban development, including transportation issues, environmental pollution, and security. Thus, when it comes to the Global South, there is a need to determine what specific challenges affect various urban areas and design smart city-solutions based on these factors.

For instance, in the African cities where the issue of water is an acute, smart water management systems can be given priority. This consisted of an active role for the government, as well as private enterprise, as is the case in China, and can be a game changer for the Global South. Therefore, governments should approach the private players to facilitate any investment by removing policies’ ambiguity and providing incentives. Companies that are already established in a region can support the governments in scaling up smart city projects.

Smart City Essential identified is the necessary condition of a robust Digital Architecture. Challenges such as restricted access to internet and the unreliability of power supply are a big problem for many developing nations. As observed in the Chinese case, countries in the Global South need to establish strong digital infrastructures like the 5G investment in the IoT devices.

With the efforts in utilizing new technologies, opening access to broadband connections persistently, and establishing local technology hubs, gaps in the digital divide can be effectively closed, which can promote the building of smart cities. Another factor is that China has shifted its focus towards data-driven governance as an important factor of successful smart city. In the developing countries of the southern hemisphere, in particular, data are restricted and the data available may be dispersed. By introducing the top-down data infrastructures and encouraging information exchange between various government departments, the cities can advance their decision-making.