2011Ten MOSt AttraCtive Chinese Cities for Foreigners

Li Yiwen

The results of the “2011 Amazing China - The Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Foreigners”surveywere recently released. The top-10 cities for foreigners are Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen,Wuhan, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Chongqing, Xiamen, and Hangzhou.

Beijing: Long history, diversified culture, convenient life

As the capital of Cb_haa, Beijing is the country''s political, cultural, and internadonai exchange center,and has the most concentrated and abundant talent resources in the countrv. The dty offers diversifiedculture, a window into various aspects of the country, and an infinite amount of experiences.

With the Great Wall, historic buildings, and an open and diversified culture, Beijing maintains itscultural heritage, and has a future of unlimited possibilities. Standing in this rapidly changing dty,people can see the past, present~ and future.

Shanghai: Intemational city featuring openness, fashion and creativeness

As China''s economic, financial, trade, and shipping center, Shanghai is richly endowed with naturaland cultural resources, coupled with the most concentrated resources of high-caliber overseasprofessionals in Chha.

The 2010 Shanghai World Expo showed the world its beauty, ambition, and vitality. Overseasprofessionals described Shanghai as “a modem international city featuring openness, fashion, andcreativeness" with a good public order and friendly residents.

Tianjin: Integrating characteristics of both Western and Chinese cities

Tianjin has left a unique impression on many foreign visitors. As they see it, the city integratescharacterises of both Western and Chinese cities.

Shenzhen: Special economic zone, “Shenzhen Speed”

As a special economic zone, Shenzhen has become a major base for China''s high-tech industry, a newcenter for finance and information, a business center in South China, a transportation hub, and a toptourist destination. The“Shenzhen Speed” has amazed the whole world.

Wuhan: Abundant intelligence resources ensure great potential

AS a major base for science education, Wuhan is rich in intelligence resources, with 59 academiciansof the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, 100 government researchinstitutions, 22 national laboratories including key laboratories, and 79 colleges and universities.

Wuhan Donghu New Technology Development Zone is the second national demonstration zone forindependent technological innovation in China.

Guangzhou: Ideal place for starting a business

In the eyes of foreigners, Guangzhou is a trade center with rich commercialatmosphere. Local residents are good at doing business, rnaldng the city an ideal placefor foreigners who want to start or run a business in China.As one of the most economically developed cities in China, Guangzhou hasintroduced a series of preferential policies for attracting talent. It plans to bring in 300domestic and foreign experts in innovation and entrepreneurship in 5 to 10 years.An expert in entrepreneurship will receive 1 million yuan to 5 million yuan forstarting a business, a stock investment ofup to 5 million yuan, a discounted loan ofupto 1 million yuan, 300,000 vuan to 1 million yuan for setthng in the city, and a freeworkplace of 100 square meters to 500 square meters.

An expert in innovation will receive a household allowance of up to 500,000 yuanand a research fund of up to 500,000 yuan, or 2 million yuan if he or she is anacademician. A chief expert responsibility system has been established, giving expertsfull decision-making power.

Suzhou: Clean, quiet, traditional yet modem

Suzhou is a world-famous cultural city, and is widely known as the“Paradise onEarth” and“Venice of the East.” Five county-level cities under its jurisdiction,including Kunshan, Zhangjiagang, Changshu, Wujiang, and Taicang, have made cntothe top-10 list of China''s top-100 corrodes in economic strength. Suzhou Industrial

Park is taking the lead among the country''s state-level development zones.

More than 51,000 experts and management personnel have moved to Suzhou fromabroad or from Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan As they see it, the city is full of gardensand street trees, and is definitely a good place to live and work

Chongqing: Most livable city

Chongqing announced a plan in 2009 to introduce 100 overseas high-caliber talentedpersons in five years. An overseas expert who signs an employment contract withtenure of morn than five years will receive a lump sum of 1 million yuan for settlingin the citv. Last year, the Chongqing Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs issued400 new Foreign Expert Certificates to foreign experts who moved to work in thecity, and renewed 515 Foreign Expert Certificates.

Chongqing is considered by foreigners as the most “l(fā)ivable” city in China due to itsrelatively low cost of living and increasing consumer demand.

Xiamen: Quiet, green, convenient

When asked about Xiamen, the foreigners surveyed used words and phrases such as“green”“quiet”“Chinese characteristics,” or“convenient traffic”to describe the city.

Hangzhou: Prosperous, beautiful and comfortable

As the capital and largest city of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou is the province''spolitical, economic, cultural, scientific, and educticonal center, and the southerncentral city of the rich Yangtze River Delta region. It is one of the first nationalhistorical and cultural dries, and is known as the“first city in Southeast China.”As the old Chinese saying goes, “Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhouand Hangzhou on earth”The beautiful city has received numerous complimentsthroughout history, and won the recognition of foreign experts as it provides acomfortable working and living environment.