China’s expanded visa-free entry policy and technological advances have boosted the standing of its major cities as global hubs, with Beijing retaining a top-tier position in international influence and connectivity rankings.
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The Chinese capital rose to sixth place on the 2025 International Exchange Centres Index – up from seventh last year – driven by surging tourist arrivals and improved transport links, according to the annual report released by Tsinghua University’s China Institute for Development Planning (CIDP) and Deloitte China on Wednesday.
Shanghai, a leading financial centre, rose to eighth place this year from eleventh last year, with foreign tourist arrivals doubling year on year in 2024.
According to the report, the city ranked second globally over the past decade for the number of scientific and technological publications, behind only Beijing, and fifth among the sampled cities for unicorn companies.
Hong Kong ranked seventh this year, down from fourth last year, mainly because the latest assessment excluded inbound tourist data from mainland China. Disruptions to global trade also negatively impacted the city’s ranking.
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The top three cities – London, Paris and New York – remained unchanged from last year’s ranking.