As stated in the CNN report, China wants to make a total of 200 cities into Smart Cities. The development is being promoted by China because 250 million of its citizens are set to move from rural areas into towns and cities by 2050. Yinchuan is intended to serve as a model. The city in Northern China currently has a population of 1.5 million people, and so it is the right size for introducing and trying out new technologies. Other cities such as Peking are already too large, explains Carl Piva from TM Forum, which has twice hosted the Smart City in Focus conference in Yinchuan.

Yinchuan’s population is forecast to grow substantially in the next few years. Houses are already finished for the new occupants. Lots of empty tower blocks line the streets of Yinchuan.“They think they can organize the technology first, and then move in some citizens, and they will have the city prepared," says Igor Calzada from Oxford University. He doesn’t believe in this concept. “That’s not how cities work”.

Yet, the citizens who already live in the city have access to a number of technological advances. When they get on the local bus the ticket is paid for using facial recognition. Public rubbish bins emit a signal when they are full and then they are emptied. Food is ordered and delivered using an app or it is provided for collection at central storage centres. And in the town hall citizens are welcomed by holograms. Answers to frequently asked questions are generated via a read-in code.

The healthcare system is also partially automated, with sensors monitoring the insulin levels of diabetic patients.  If they reach a critical state, an automatic alarm is activated and assistance is organised. “This is very economical”, says Peter Sany, President of TM Forum.