Top 20 Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Expats Released

Source: OT-Team(G), 中国新闻网

On September 28, the 2024 edition of the "Charming China—Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Foreign Talent" ranking was officially released.

This annual program, now in its 15th year, aims to provide reference for Chinese cities in attracting and cultivating global talent. For 2024, the survey focused on 64 Chinese cities with high concentrations of foreign professionals, collecting feedback on job satisfaction, quality of life, and environmental friendliness. A total of 5,487 valid questionnaires were received, forming the basis of the "Foreign Talent Attractiveness Index of Chinese Cities."

The ranking is as follows:

1.Beijing

2.Shanghai

3.Guangzhou

4.Hangzhou

5.Chengdu

6.Suzhou

7.Shenzhen

8.Nanjing

9.Qingdao

10.Xiamen

11.Dalian

12.Ningbo

13.Kunming

14.Haikou

15.Wuhan

16.Tianjin

17.Changsha

18.Jinan

19.Zhuhai

20.Changzhou 

Beyond megacities, medium and large cities—defined as having an urban population between 500,000 and 5 million—are also gaining traction among foreign professionals. For the first time, the program released a separate attractiveness index for such cities. Haikou, Zhuhai, Changzhou, Baoding, Wuxi, Weihai, Shaoxing, Yantai, Weifang, and Yiwu entered the top 10 in this category.

The survey also introduced sub-rankings highlighting "Cities of Opportunity," "Livable Cities," and "Inclusive Cities," based on performance across work satisfaction, convenience of living, and environmental friendliness. Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Suzhou led the "Cities of Opportunity" list. Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu ranked highest as "Livable Cities," while Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Suzhou were named the most "Inclusive Cities."

At the release event, Xu Jiajun, Deputy Director of the Center for Foreign Talent Research, summarized key findings of the 2024 index:

1.Sustained urban cluster effect. The top 20 cities remain concentrated in key economic regions including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region. Beijing and Shanghai have held the top two spots for five consecutive years. Chengdu entered the top five for the first time, while central cities such as Wuhan and Changsha showed growing appeal.

2.Differentiated competitiveness. Cities are leveraging local strengths to attract talent. Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen have emerged as hubs for new energy and artificial intelligence. Hainan's Free Trade Port boosts appeal with financial and trade liberalization, while Yiwu, the world's largest small commodities hub, has become a magnet for foreign professionals.

3.High satisfaction with living conditions. Foreign talent expressed the strongest satisfaction with social environment. Nearly 90% reported high satisfaction with digital services, transportation, and housing. Healthcare satisfaction has steadily improved for three years, over 70% were content with children's education, about 90% praised social governance and safety, and 80% highlighted strong cultural inclusiveness.

4.Improving work environment. Evaluations of professional development and labor rights continue to rise. Smooth contract fulfillment increased by nearly 3.5 percentage points year-on-year. Over 80% agreed that Chinese cities provide strong labor resources and safeguards, helping them realize personal value.

5.Positive response to talent policies. About 80% of respondents considered China's foreign talent policies attractive. Initiatives such as the "certificate-card integration" received wide approval. Nearly 90% said entry and exit procedures were convenient, and more than half found work and residence permit applications easier to process.