CHONGQING, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- As dawn breaks, residents of Qiaobei Community, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, hustle to work with warm breakfasts in hand, while elderly neighbors, returning from their morning exercises, unwind on the outdoor terrace of the neighbor service center. Zhou Xiaoping, an energetic "community partner," swiftly prepares breakfast for the community.

Just months ago, the center was an abandoned toolroom. Today, it has transformed into a community service hub offering breakfast, daily necessities and fresh produce. This is one of Chongqing's latest explorations and implementations of an innovative grassroots governance model known as the community partner initiative.

Traditionally, community governance in China has been led by government bodies and neighborhood committees responsible for social services and livelihood support.

However, rapid urbanization and diversifying residents' needs have rendered the government-centric approach inadequate. The current challenge lies in mobilizing social resources and enhancing residents' self-management and service capabilities.

The community partner model, first introduced in the Jiangbei District of Chongqing, represents a novel solution to these challenges.

By integrating the forces of government, market and society, it has increasingly made local residents aware that they are part of the community, sharing common interests and the responsibility of community work. This not only enhances the quality of public services but also strengthens the community's self-management capabilities.

"Community partners function as a model where the government provides a platform to introduce resources, allowing merchants, innovators and residents to collaboratively engage in the co-construction and co-governance of the community," explained Huang Lei, Party Secretary of the Qiaobei Community.

Covering just 0.3 square kilometers and home to 11,000 residents, Qiaobei Community is characterized by aging neighborhoods and complex public service demands.

Ushering in the community partners, Qiaobei has established its own enterprises to actively involve merchants, entrepreneurs and residents. Companies were introduced to create senior cafeterias, residents were engaged for cleaning and maintenance services, and individual business owners like Zhou were encouraged to set up service centers.

The cooperation approach has not only expanded services available to residents but has also effectively revitalized underutilized resources within the community.

In the vibrant Guanyinqiao commercial area of Chongqing, a modern three-story building has recently become an internet-famous site. This facility is a newly opened neighborhood service center in the Yubei Community.

Guanyinqiao Sub-District has adopted the community partner model to attract investors to develop digital cafeterias, cultural courses and chronic disease management services for its residents.

On a summer afternoon, community officials, entrepreneurs and artists gathered as "community partners" inside the service center, discussing preparations for the upcoming summer music festival.

"Governance is no longer solely the domain of grassroots officials. With each new partner engaged, the community has evolved into a large family characterized by co-building, co-governance and co-sharing," said Du Xiao'ai, a grassroots official with the Guanyinqiao Sub-District.  ■