Xi’an Ranks the 9th in the World’s 20 Most Dynamic Cities
Nine Chinese cities were ranked among the world's 20 most dynamic cities in the latest City Momentum Index released by real estate services and investment firm JLL.
Xi'an, often known for its Terracotta Warriors, led Chinese cities in the rankings, coming in at 9th place. It was followed by Guangzhou (10), Nanjing (11), Beijing (13), Shanghai (14), Chongqing (16), Hangzhou (17), Shenzhen (19) and Chengdu (20). Asia Pacific is home to 19 of the top 20 cities in this year's index.
An aerial view of the Bell Tower, buildings and streets at night in Xi'an city, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, March 9, 2018.
A view of the Bell Tower at night in Xi'an city, Shaanxi province, China
A view of the Terracotta Warriors at Shaanxi province, China
Jeremy Kelly, research director of JLL, said, "even in Nairobi there is a strong Asian influence, with significant amounts of investment from China, particularly focused on infrastructure projects".
"This year's rankings find the fastest urban growth continuing to shift away from the West to the East," Kelly wrote in an article posted over the weekend as part of the upcoming World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, from Jan 22-25.
Global leaders will discuss globalization 4.0 and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and call for more inclusive and sustainable global growth.
Kelly said strong growth brings great opportunities for economic and social development, but equally creates challenges that emerging markets must address to ensure that short-term growth transitions into long-term momentum.
"Cities that are growing rapidly tend to punch above their weight in attracting companies and people; however, this can often lead to social inequality, congestion and environmental degradation," he said.
Kelly pointed out that technological innovation in the form of greener and smarter buildings plays an important role in answering the environmental challenges brought about by rapid growth.
He cited the example of Xi'an which was struggling with severe air pollution as a common plight for developing cities.
