The Beijing-based International Institute for Urban Development published on September 13 its "report on life quality of Chinese cities", the first of its kind in China.

Based on key factors affecting life quality, the report created an "urban life quality index" and published a ranking among GDP top 100 Chinese cities. The first ten cities are: Shenzhen, Dongguan, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Zhuhai, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou and Xiamen.

Among the top 20 cites based on GDP, nine cities failed to enter the top 20 in terms of life quality. This indicated that higher economic level doesn't necessarily lead to better life quality. Economic standards, GDP in particular, would cover up some problems in social life and urban development, and thus fail to truly evaluate a city.

By People's Daily Online