The 2023 Dynamic City Conference, organized by China Newsweek, was held in Beijing on Friday to explore the dynamism in cities and discuss strategies for high-quality urban development under the theme "New Dynamics, New Vitality".
China Newsweek has maintained a focus on urban development and regional progress. It initiated the conference in 2021 to explore the competitiveness, influence and vitality of cities.
In the past year, Chinese cities have harnessed their industry strength and resources to discover and boost urban vitality, earning recognition through various means. During the event, representatives from different cities shared their respective stories and experiences.
For instance, Hebei province's Shijiazhuang city has been aiming to turn itself into a "hometown for rock music". In 2023, over 10 large-scale music festivals and concerts have been held in the city, attracting 3.2 million people. This initiative turned into a nationwide hot topic, vividly showcasing a more open, inclusive, vibrant and confident urban image of Shijiazhuang. The city's rock culture dates back to the 1980s when a considerable number of rock musicians and bands were nurtured, with a peak of over 100 rock bands at one time.
Officials from Haikou, Hainan province, shared that in this summer, the pop megastar Jay Chou's four-day concert in the city attracted a total of 154,600 viewers and generated tourism revenue of 976 million yuan ($136.66 million). The city aims to enhance its cultural vitality through artistic enhancement.
In recent years, Haikou has been dedicated to realizing its goals of becoming a "dynamic city" and a "city of performing arts".
At the event, a list of "2023 Annual Dynamic City" was released by the organizer, focusing on six dimensions of vitality, namely, industry, population, ecology, consumption, culture and innovation. Cities selected for their vibrancy include Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Wuhan in Hubei province, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Jinan in Shandong province, Changsha in Hunan province, Shijiazhuang, Haikou, Suzhou in Jiangsu province. Additionally, Beijing's Chaoyang district, Shenzhen's Nanshan district, and Foshan's Chancheng district were recognized as "2023 Annual Dynamic Urban District" cases.
