The report highlights the branding strengths of nine major Chinese cities, all making it into the top 100 global city brands. This includes Shanghai (54th), Beijing (58th), Shenzhen (73rd), Chongqing (74th), Macau (81st), Guangzhou (85th), Chengdu (89th), and Nanjing (93rd).

Key Findings from the Report:

1. Hong Kong’s Global Standing:
   • Hong Kong ranks exceptionally in “Familiarity” (9th globally) and as a “Global Important City” (10th).
   • Known as one of Asia’s largest financial centers, Hong Kong’s favorable tax system, straightforward listing procedures, and robust regulatory framework make it highly attractive to foreign investors.
   • With the easing of travel restrictions, Hong Kong is poised for a strong economic rebound this year.
2. Shanghai’s Financial Influence:
   • Ranking 14th in “Global City Influence,” Shanghai asserts its position as a globally impactful financial center.
   • The city leads China in “Future Growth Potential” (7th) and “Strong and Stable Economy” (18th).
3. Beijing’s Global and Cultural Impact:
   • Beijing scores high in “Global Importance” (13th) and “City Familiarity” (20th).
   • Renowned for its exquisite royal palaces and museums, Beijing is also China’s leader in rich history and heritage (31st globally), making it a popular tourist destination.
4. Shenzhen’s Business and Trade Value:
   • Shenzhen ranks as China’s most valuable city for business and trade (16th globally).
   • The city excels in “Ease of Employment” (4th), “Ease of Starting a Business and Innovation” (5th), “Access to Skilled Labor” (6th), and “Ease of Doing Business” (10th).
5. Chongqing’s Emerging Presence:
   • Known as China’s “Mountain City,” Chongqing, despite limited global familiarity (98th), outranks other Chinese cities in various domains among those who know it.
6. Macau’s Tourist Appeal:
   • Macau leads China in “Lifestyle” (32nd), “Entertainment” (35th), and “Openness and Warmth” (57th), maintaining its allure as a tourist destination.
7. Guangzhou’s Manufacturing Ambitions:
   • Poised to become one of China’s leading manufacturing hubs, Guangzhou consistently ranks in the top 20 for “Access to Skilled Labor” (15th), “Ease of Doing Business” (15th), “Personal Tax Benefits” (17th), and “Ease of Employment” (18th).
8. Chengdu’s Financial Sector Growth:
   • Envisioned as a national financial center in Western China, Chengdu is gaining a reputation in financial technology, rural finance, and consumer finance.
   • The city ranks second in China for “Future Growth Potential” (33rd) and “Investment Reputation” (52nd).
9. Nanjing’s Friendly Business Environment:
   • As one of the nation’s most business-friendly cities, Nanjing ranks second and third in China for “Corporate Tax Benefits” (10th) and “Ease of Employment” (13th) respectively.

The Brand Finance report showcases Chinese cities’ diverse strengths and growing global recognition, positioning them as key players on the world stage.

Hangzhou surpassed Beijing and Shanghai in terms of GDP per capita. Beijing was the most active city compared with Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou. Beijing has invested the most in fixed assets while Shenzhen is the fastest-growing one.

Beijing leads with an index of 127.78 in the ranking of urban consumption vitality in the five select cities. Shanghai (97.07) and Guangzhou (82.58) followed in the second and third places, according to the report from People’s Daily Media Opinion Monitoring Office.

The ranking was measured by a series of indexes including basic GDP per capita, disposable income, retail sales of consumer goods, logistics infrastructure, spending on cultural, healthy, intellectual, and environmentally friendly products, and consumers’ attitudes products, good or bad, etc.

GDP per capita in those five cities are all above 100 thousand yuan (US$14,914), higher than the average level nationwide. Hangzhou surpassed Beijing and Shanghai in terms of that.

The urban consumption vitality will further be released along with the development of the tertiary industry. Empowered by the emerging technology and well-developed tertiary industry, the intelligent production and service system will be able to fulfill customers’ unique needs for individualized and premium products and services. Digitalization and online shopping also promote consumption.

By comparison, Beijing invested the most in fixed assets, such as municipal infrastructure and preparation for sports events, while Shenzhen was the fastest-growing one.

Cross-border retail e-commerce in Xiamen, a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, China, beside the Taiwan Strait, is growing rapidly at Xiamen Free Trade Zone in the first half year of 2017. The imported parcels (including personal express, cross-border direct purchase products) grew to 1.08 million pieces worth 180 million yuan in the first six months of 2017 with an increase of 180% and 245% YoY.

The explosive growth of cross-border retail e-commerce in Xiamen is just a reflection of the prosperity of cross-border retail e-commerce in China. Cross-border retail e-commerce of Guangzhou performed as good as Xiamen. From January to May this year, cross-border retail e-commerce of Guangzhou increased by 150%, and the volume remained the first in China.

E-Marketer magazine predicted that Chinese cross-border retail e-commerce would rose to increase by 29.1% to US$110.68 billion in 2017.

Health care products, maternal and infant supplies and foods, which are the important power of stimulating the domestic consumption, are the three most popular products among the cross-border retail e-commerce.

Frequent environmental pollution and food safety problems in China are the main reasons for consumers’ lack of confidence in the domestic food supply, thereby purchasing goods from other countries through the internet.

China retail industry development report 2016-2017

China’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached 67.6708 trillion yuan (US$10.2872 trillion) with an increase of 6.9% YoY in 2015. The growth rate hit a record low since 1990 according to National Bureau of Statistics.

Related: China GDP grew faster than expected in Q1 2017, Top China Provinces/Municipalities by GDP in 2016

Shanghai ranked top city in China in 2015 with GDP of 2.5 trillion yuan (US$0.38 trillion), followed by Beijing (US$0.35 trillion) and Guangzhou (US$0.28 trillion). Hangzhou reached over 1 trillion yuan becoming the tenth largest GDP city in China.

Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu province, ranked top 11th top GDP city in China in 2015 and it was expected to reach 1 trillion yuan (US$0.15 trillion) in 2016.

Jinan, the capital city of Shandong province,  ranked the 21st largest GDP city in China in 2015. Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang provinces were the four strongest provinces in economy in China in 2015.

Also read: China Retail V.S. Online Shopping 2015

The total number of fans of China e-commerce websites on Weibo reached 24 million by the end of July 2014, becoming a large online community for online retailers.

The post-80s are the primary group of the e-commerce sites fans on Weibo. 20% are from Guangdong province, followed by Beijing (11%), Zhejiang (9%), Shanghai (8%) and Jiangsu (6%).

Women of 26, 27 years old in Guangzhou represent the biggest fan group of China’s e-commerce websites..

China e-commerce total transactions reached RMB2.83 trillion (US$460 billion) in the second quarter this year, a QoQ growth rate of 7.1% and YoY growth rate of 19.9%.

Alibaba Ali Institute and Chinese Academy of Information Technology jointly started “E-Commerce Development Index” research in 2010. This year, Ali Institute studies 294 cities and released “China’s Top 100 Best E-Commerce Cities 2013” report.

1. Shenzhen
2. Guangzhou
3. Hangzhou
4. Beijing
5. Shanghai
6. Jinhua
7. Zhuhai
8. Xiamen
9. Suzhou
10. Nanjing

Among the top 100 e-commerce cities, 11 are from Zhejiang and Jiangsu province respectively, followed by Guangdong (10 cities) and Fujian province (9 cities).

796 million products are published on Taobao by over 8 million sellers by end 2013.

E-commerce is huge in China and online shopping has even become part of some China internet users’ life. According to data from Taobao, there were 5,758 Taobao users who spent over one million shopping on Taobao in 2013, 1,053 of which are from Guangdong province.

Mobile transaction occupied 20% of total on Double 11, and the transaction grew 560% compared to 2012. This was regarded as the omen of mobile shopping outbreak. Nearly half of post-90s used mobile phone to purchase on Double 11, 2013. It means that online shopping began to transfer from PC to mobile.

Taobao data showed that mobile transaction reached 5.35 billion yuan (USD 872 million), and mobile Taobao daily active accounts hit 127 million. The number of Taobao mobile transaction on Double 11 was 35.9 million, 21% of total transaction. At present, mobile Taobao users reached 320 million.

Different from PC-end online shopping, mobile shopping showed personalized, fragmented and information push features.

30% Middle and Western China Consumers Did Mobile Shopping

Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province consumers are the main force for online shopping, however, data showed that consumers from middle and western China surpassed tier one cities in mobile shopping.

Tibetan mobile transaction occupied 29.1% of its total transaction, ranking the first in mobile shopping. Followed by Shaanxi and Jiangsu with 27.3%, Shanxi ranked fourth with 27.3%, and Zhejiang ranked the fifth with 27.2%.

Post 90s Love Mobile Shopping

Young people below 25 years old seem to prefer mobile shopping, especially young women. Data showed that 46% young female below 25 purchased via mobile on Double 11 2013, and male consumers below 25 who purchased via mobile occupied 37%. Mobile shopping had become the life-style of post 90s. If PC represents the post 80s, then mobile represents post 90s.

Mobile Shoppers Love to Purchase on Bed

During 4am-7am on November 11 2013, mobile-end transaction surpassed PC-end. Data showed that most people closed their computer at 4:40 am, while most mobile shoppers were still active. Mobile transaction during the period occupied 63%.

Mobile Taobao allows users to check product information and purchase without limit on location and time. Newly mothers loved to shop in the midnight, milk powder, diapers and other babies products sales went up in the midnight.

 Product Information Sharing

Mobile shopping is not only about shopping, it includes getting information and sharing it. Maybe consumers gain information about products through multiple channels, such as Sina Weibo, SNS, advertising, but the purchasing process is more and more centered on mobile. At the same time, the percentage of adding favorite product pages in PC and pay it on mobile is increasing.

Mobile Taobao is more suitable for users to share purchasing experience. One hour after the beginning of Double 11, millions of consumers shared their shopping information on mobile Taobao.