China’s top urban areas are quickly moving up the ranks in the annual Global Urban Competitiveness Report. The 2018-2019 comprehensive study was released on Monday at the New Global Cities: Nanjing Internationalization Development Forum.
Shenzhen, in particular, has cause for celebration. After recently being named the second best city in the world to visit in 2019 by Lonely Planet, the former fishing village has been ranked the No.5 economically competitive city in the world (last year the city ranked No.6). The report’s ranking system factored in areas such as infrastructure, financial services, innovation and human resources. The report analyzed and assessed the value of 1,007 cities around the world with populations exceeding 500,000.
Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong all remained in the top 20 for at least the second consecutive year.
According to China Daily, the 2008 report only listed six Chinese cities among the top 100 economically competitive global cities. After 10 years, that number has tripled to 18 cities (what a difference a decade can make).
The report also included another ranking system evaluating the top ‘sustainably’ competitive cities in the world. On this list, Shenzhen came in at No.48, 13 spots lower than the previous year, while Hong Kong was ranked No.6, according to Macau Daily Times. The sustainable competitiveness ranking factors in the environment and global connections as key criteria.
Image via Wikimedia
As a country, China did not fare so well in the Global Competitiveness Report 2018.
This study, published by the World Economic Forum on October 16, assesses the performance of each nation’s competitiveness as defined by the set of institutions, policies and factors that determine productivity. In the rankings, China came in at No.28, wedged between Saudi Arabi and the Czech Republic.
These reports make it clear that China's first-tier cities are running the show.
[Cover image via Denys Nevozhai/Unsplash]
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