SHENZHEN ranks sixth in the flow evaluation index system among seven cities in four bay areas worldwide, according to a report jointly released Tuesday by Shenzhen Academy of Social Sciences and Guangdong Academy of Greater Bay Area Studies.

Through quantitative analysis, the report ranked the element flows of seven cities through a three-level indicator system. The top indicators in five categories, namely flows of materials, personnel, capital and information, and flow environment, are subdivided into 10 subindicators, including the number of personnel flows, capital controls and 20 basic indicators like passenger turnover and number of college students for every 100,000 residents.

The ranking has New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong on the top three spots, followed by San Jose, San Francisco, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

“Shenzhen scores above average among the seven cities in material flow. Information and capital flows are slightly lower than the average. But in personnel flow and flow environment, Shenzhen lags behind,” said Wang Weili, deputy chief of Shenzhen Academy of Social Sciences.

In some single indicators, Shenzhen was ranked at medium level in the following aspects — R&D expenditures among the world’s top 2,500 enterprises, number of headquarters of the world’s top 500 enterprises, foreign investments, number of conferences of International Congress and Convention Association.

The city dominates in TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) throughput, export dependence and PCT applications.

The report suggested the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) further break down the institutional barriers and promote personnel exchanges, in addition to enhancing material, information and capital flows. To make the GBA a more talent-friendly area, the report suggested building a platform for international talent exchanges, a mechanism to introduce and retain talents, public services for international talents, including education and medical services, and a shared mechanism for talents among cities in the GBA.

The report also suggested environmental optimization to promote resource element flows, smooth out dual circulations, enhance the GBA's position as a global logistics hub and promote trade facilitation.

Other suggestions in the report state that the GBA cities should establish high-level two-way investment mechanisms, promote fund flows, connectivity of financial infrastructures and scientific and cultural exchanges.

(Han Ximin)