On 13 August 2025, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) published the international standard 《City needs analysis framework》 (IEC 63326:2025), developed under the leadership of Chinese expert Yang Tingzhang. This milestone signifies the shift in smart city development from technology-driven approaches towards demand-oriented strategies, establishing a universal language for global urban governance.

Over 1,000 smart city projects worldwide currently suffer from ‘technology stacking’ issues, such as smart transport systems disregarding citizens' travel habits and smart communities failing to address the digital divide among the elderly.

This standard establishes a three-tiered framework: macro, meso, and micro. The macro level identifies systemic requirements across critical urban domains; the meso level maps stakeholder relationships within specific scenarios; and the micro level refines functional module requirements. It incorporates tools such as stakeholder requirement maps to facilitate tripartite collaboration.

During development, Yang Tingzhang's team organised over 60 international workshops, established a collaborative network with experts from 20 countries, compiled a database of 47 global use cases, created the world's first knowledge map on the subject, and aligned with the IEC 63320 series standards.

This standard underpins the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Synergising with another Chinese IEC standard, it facilitates the green transformation of smart cities, lays foundations for extreme climate response standards, safeguards accessibility of smart services for vulnerable groups, and reserves expansion interfaces for data security. Its release elevates global urban governance concepts, propelling Chinese expertise to infuse wisdom into worldwide smart city development.

The release of IEC 63326:2025 signifies more than the implementation of technical documentation; it elevates global urban governance concepts, affirming that smart cities represent a people-centred revolution in demand rather than mere technological accumulation. It will furnish city administrators with scientific decision-making tools, clarify market orientation for technology enterprises, and deliver thoughtful smart services to citizens. As it gains global traction, China's smart city experience will leverage this international standard platform to contribute Eastern wisdom to sustainable urban development worldwide.