Qiu Xiaohua, professor at City University of Macau and former head of the National Bureau of Statistics

I think the index has four distinctive features.

First, the index is highly comprehensive, with three primary categories, nine secondary categories, and 27 subcategories. The index encompasses economic, social, and environmental dimensions, with cultural aspects included in the social dimension. This means the index evaluates economic development, social advancement, ecological sustainability, and cultural progress, making it a well-rounded assessment tool.

Second, the index is not merely a qualitative evaluation; it places significant emphasis on quantitative analysis. Of the 878 datasets used, one-third comes from statistical data, one-third from internet data, and one-third from satellite remote sensing data. This approach maximizes the use of all available data sources to create a comprehensive quantitative assessment. By employing a multimodal quantitative method, the index provides a credible ranking for 297 Chinese cities at or above prefecture level, making it highly convincing and widely accepted.

Third, it is an ongoing effort. The research on the China Integrated City Index has lasted for over a decade. A one-off evaluation holds limited significance, but continuous tracking yields profound insights. This continuity makes the index strategically significant, offering valuable guidance for governments, businesses, and ordinary people. The index offers accessible and valuable data to inform national strategy formulation, corporate business planning, and individual choices about where to live and work. It serves as a "dictionary of cities" and helps better understand urban development in China.

Fourth, it adopts scientific methodologies. Effective index evaluation requires comparability, accessibility, measurability, and observability, all of which demand a robust scientific methodology. Professor Zhou's application of a scientific, quantitative, intuitive, and continuous evaluation framework ensures that the results are credible, realistic, and reliable. 

Li Guoping, counselor of the Beijing municipal government and director of Beijing Development Institute at Peking University

It is a great honor to participate in the seminar. As this topic is close to my research field, I have consistently referred to Professor Zhou's publications. I had accessed studies related to the China Integrated City Index through various channels. I find this index robust, both in its systematic design and in its comprehensive data support. The evaluation results it generates are indeed highly consistent with real-world observations.

Core cities play an increasingly leading role. While the Yangtze River Delta only has one first-tier city, it is supported by a group of quasi-first-tier cities. Its overall geography and various conditions have gained the Yangtze River Delta an advantage over the Pearl River Delta. Due to its larger scale, as well as its connection to the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, the region shows enormous potential.

What about Beijing? Its position as the top-ranked city is well-established. Its relationship with Tianjin and Hebei makes the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region critically important. Beijing has strong capabilities in technological innovation, and if given full play, innovation will be a driving force for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The key lies in effectively linking the industrial and innovation chains across Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, which are not as seamlessly connected as those in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta.

Zhou Qiren, professor at the National School of Development of Peking University

Concentration and clustering mean people crowd into already congested areas, driven by the increasing demand for proximity to economic activities. Crowding causes numerous problems, but the benefits brought by crowding often outweigh the inconveniences. Moreover, the issues arising from crowding can be mitigated through urban planning and technological advancements. A densely populated area can be chaotic, but it can also be well-organized with proper management.

The foundational work of the index is commendable, but I suggest integrating the latest developments into Professor Zhou's next phase of research. With declining air travel costs, increasing cloud-based communication, and improved AI, is it still necessary for people to commute to city centers for work in the future? Nowadays, people can work remotely. This may even lead to prolonged vacancies in Shanghai's office buildings. The pandemic prompted people to explore new ways of communication, lifestyles, and production modes, each with difference space requirements.

The most critical question is: How are the world's most productive, dynamic, and innovative people working? What kind of spatial patterns are they creating?

Xu Lin, chairman of China-U.S. Green Fund and former director general of the Department of Development Planning of the National Development and Reform Commission

In my opinion, the China Integrated City Index can incorporate evaluations of urban governance, which is an essential variable. The governance model of a city has a significant impact on its comprehensive assessment.

I suggest the comparison of Chinese cities with their overseas counterparts could provide a framework for assessment, even if it is partially subjective. A well-governed, attractive city is inherently open, inclusive, and convenient. These qualities make a city more competitive.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.