Core Viewpoint - The article presents the "2025 New First-Tier City Charm Ranking," emphasizing the need to rediscover China's cities through a multidimensional evaluation of urban characteristics and economic potential [3][14]. Group 1: City Rankings and Evaluation - The ranking evaluates 337 cities based on five dimensions: commercial resource aggregation, urban hub characteristics, citizen activity levels, new economic competitiveness, and future adaptability [14]. - The ranking process has evolved over 12 years, incorporating various data sources, including consumer brands and economic indicators, to reflect the unique dynamics of each city [3][4]. Group 2: City Case Studies - Wuhan is highlighted for its recovery post-pandemic and its efforts to transition from a traditional automotive hub to a center for new energy and AI industries [19]. - Shenzhen is noted for its long-term commitment to improving its education sector, addressing its historical lack of higher education institutions [28]. - The small city of Chenghai is recognized for its significant role in the global toy industry, producing about 30% of the world's plastic toys, and its adaptation to changing trade dynamics [23]. Group 3: Broader Implications - The article suggests that every city has untapped potential and stories that can be rediscovered, urging a dynamic perspective on urban development [5][9][13]. - The historical context of Chinese cities is discussed, emphasizing their evolution from military and trade centers to modern economic players [11][12].

Core Insights - The "2025 New First-Tier Cities Charm Ranking" has been released, evaluating cities based on five primary dimensions: commercial resource aggregation, urban hub characteristics, urban population activity, new economic competitiveness, and future plasticity [6][8] - The ranking identifies 15 new first-tier cities, with Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Chongqing leading the list, while Guangdong has two cities classified as second-tier and seven cities as third-tier, including Maoming [1][6] Group 1: Ranking Overview - The top 15 new first-tier cities are: Chengdu, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Wuhan, Suzhou, Xi'an, Nanjing, Changsha, Zhengzhou, Tianjin, Hefei, Qingdao, Dongguan, Ningbo, and Foshan [1][6] - Guangdong province has two cities classified as second-tier: Huizhou and Zhuhai, and seven cities classified as third-tier: Zhongshan, Shantou, Zhanjiang, Jieyang, Zhaoqing, Maoming, and Jiangmen [1][6] Group 2: Methodology and Data Sources - The ranking is based on data from nearly 200 brands and 14 internet companies, covering 337 cities in China, and is conducted annually [6][8] - The data used for the ranking primarily reflects the performance of cities in 2024, with the evaluation methodology involving principal component analysis and expert scoring [7][8]

Core Insights - The 2025 "New First-Tier Cities Charm Ranking" has been released, with Chengdu maintaining its top position for ten consecutive years, while Qingdao has risen two places to rank 12th among new first-tier cities [2][4][5] - The ranking reflects urban development strength and serves as a reference for future growth, focusing on five primary dimensions: commercial resource aggregation, urban hub characteristics, urban activity levels, new economic competitiveness, and future plasticity [4][6] New First-Tier Cities - Chengdu scored 100, leading the new first-tier cities, followed by Hangzhou and Chongqing with scores in the 80-89 range, forming the second tier [6] - Qingdao's score of 51.88 places it 12th, having surpassed Dongguan, Wuxi, and Ningbo [5][6] - The ranking is competitive, with only 15 cities selected each year, making it a significant achievement for cities like Qingdao to maintain or improve their positions [5][6] Shandong Province Developments - Four cities from Shandong, including Jinan (20th), Yantai (42nd), Linyi (43rd), and Weifang (49th), have entered the second-tier city category [7][8] - A regional "boundary" centered around Qingdao is forming, with Yantai and Weifang showing potential for development similar to the "Su-Xi-Chang" model [8][14] City Performance Metrics - Qingdao's performance in the five dimensions includes ranking 12th in commercial resource aggregation and future plasticity, while urban activity levels and new economic competitiveness rank 13th [6][18] - Linyi has shown significant improvement, moving up 8 places to 43rd, driven by its market strength and logistics capabilities [16][18] Economic Growth and Consumer Activity - Yantai has hosted numerous large-scale events, boosting its cultural and tourism consumption, while Weifang's growth is attributed to its "old-for-new" consumption policies [10][12] - Linyi's market transactions reached 6604.78 billion yuan, establishing it as a major logistics and trade center [18][19] Future Considerations - The integration of urban planning, transportation, and industry is crucial for the development of Qingdao, Yantai, and Weifang, which could enhance their economic synergy and overall growth [14][19] - Qingdao's focus on modern service industries and consumer potential is essential for maintaining its position and achieving further advancement in future rankings [19]

Core Viewpoint - The "2025 New First-Tier City Charm Ranking" has been released, highlighting Huizhou's elevation to a second-tier city status among 337 cities in mainland China [1] Group 1: Ranking and Evaluation - The ranking evaluates cities based on five primary dimensions: commercial resource aggregation, urban hub characteristics, urban vitality, new economic competitiveness, and future plasticity [4] - The evaluation methodology includes expert scoring for primary and secondary dimensions, with data for lower-level indicators derived from principal component analysis [4] Group 2: Indicator Explanation - Commercial resource aggregation is assessed through brand preference index, commercial core index, and commercial support maturity [6] - Urban hub characteristics are measured by transportation connectivity, intercity mobility index, industrial collaboration index, and regional commercial resource centrality [6] - Urban vitality focuses on consumer, leisure, and nightlife activities of residents [6] - New economic competitiveness reflects the city's internal development momentum, consisting of enterprise leadership, new consumption index, and industrial chain ecosystem index [6] - Future plasticity includes innovation atmosphere index, talent attraction index, and city scale index, emphasizing long-term sustainability [6] Group 3: Economic Performance - In 2024, Huizhou's GDP reached 613.64 billion yuan, marking a 4.2% year-on-year growth, ranking third in the province [7] - This achievement signifies Huizhou's entry into the "600 billion club" and its historic placement among the top 50 cities in national economic output, ranking 49th [7] - The GDP milestone represents both a quantitative and qualitative transformation, showcasing Huizhou's commitment to a high-quality development path centered on the real economy and manufacturing [10] Group 4: Development Goals - Huizhou aims to become a new growth pole for high-quality development in Guangdong, focusing on new industries, embracing new economies, and advancing new technologies [11] - The city is determined to contribute significantly to Guangdong's leadership in the modernization of China [11]