SHENZHEN was listed among the top 10 cities in China that are considered suitable for living and business, Chinese-language People.cn reported.

    Shenzhen ranked sixth among China’s 10 most livable cities in a list topped by Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Haikou, according to the latest annual report on urban competitiveness in China released Friday. These cities saw their livability rating improve from 2012 to 2013.

    Shenzhen was second only to Hong Kong on a list stating comprehensive economic competitiveness, followed by Shanghai, Taipei, Guangzhou, Beijing, Suzhou, Tianjin, Foshan and Macao.

    Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing lead all other cities as the most suitable places for business in China, followed by Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Tianjin, Nanjing and Chongqing. Foshan, Suzhou, Qingdao and Hangzhou, who were previously nominated among the top 10, were dropped from the list in 2013.

    Judging from the location of these cities — the areas of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan — the report suggested that the southeastern region and the coastal region around the Bohai Sea tend to offer better residential comfort as well as business potential.

    The report — compiled by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences — also suggested that a city’s level of livability has a strong correlation with its economic friendliness and improving residential environment, which includes such factors as the quality of the population, infrastructure and housing environment, which can all have a clear impact on a city’s economic opportunities.

    (Anna Zhao)