"The ranking is a precise reflection of cities with opportunities and China's urban development, when you look at its evaluation mechanism," said Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, a think tank under the Ministry of Commerce.

A night view of Chengdu

The report's evaluation framework covers seven fields including infrastructure, human resources, financial services, and many others, with reference to globally recognized guidelines. The data were collected from the National Bureau of Statistics and reports from central and local governments.

"It is also interesting to note the rise of lesser-known mega cities like Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Tianjin, in addition to the four first-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou). The emerging cities' development is mostly tech-driven and all of them are playing important roles in fostering regional economic growth," Zhou said.