Top 10 Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Expats in 2020

The annual survey, titled Amazing China - the Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Expats 2020, was unveiled at the 2021 Euro-Asia Economic Forum. 

Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Chengdu, Ningbo, Suzhou, Shenzhen and Qingdao are the top 10 most attractive Chinese cities in the eyes of foreign talents in 2020.

In addition to the 10 most attractive cities that are on the list, the survey also lists cities with the most potential to attract expats, namely Nanjing, Wuxi, Wuhan, Tianjin, Kunming, Dongguan, Changsha, Quanzhou, Hefei and Yantai.

The annual survey has been hosted by the Foreign Talent Research Center, the Ministry of Science and Technology since 2010.

Between May and August of 2020, foreign judges, including Nobel Prize winners, Chinese Government Friendship Award-winning experts and other experts living in China, voted online and chose among the 45 candidate cities. Results were analyzed from 3876 signed votes from the senior foreign experts as well as other foreign participants.

This year's foreign expert panel consists of fourteen Nobel Prize winners, one Turing Award winner, sixteen academicians and forty -seven Government Friendship Award-winning experts.

The annual survey's goal is to promote "Opening up at City Level and Bringing in Talents from Overseas." The evaluation is based on each city's ability to attract foreign talents, related services for these talents, and to what extent they can contribute their services to public.

With continued improvement of China's comprehensive national strength, an increasing number of foreign experts choose to work and start businesses in China. In recent years, China has implemented the work permit system for foreigners and a visa system for expats. This has promoted the implementation of government affairs and the relevant policies as well as work and living conditions of Chinese cities, allowing more expats to fully enjoy better employment and lifestyle opportunities in China.