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Urban expansion that shocked the world: Which city will become the largest city in China in 2023?
In 2023, China's urban landscape continues to change, and new data shows that China's largest cities have attracted global attention as urban populations and scope continue to expand. According to the latest demographic data, the top five largest cities in China are Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou. Chongqing, in particular, has more than 31.91 million permanent residents and is officially China's largest city.
"The speed of urbanization in Chongqing is surprising. Its urban area and population growth have greatly affected the economy of the entire southwest region."
Chongqing is unique in its geography, administrative structure, and urban planning. As a municipality directly under the Central Government in China, Chongqing is not only the city itself, but also includes surrounding villages and towns, making its area and population particularly large. According to 2021 data, China already has 17 megacities with a population of more than 10 million, and Chongqing is undoubtedly an important player among them.
Although Shanghai has a smaller population than Chongqing, its urban services, economic development and international influence still give it an unparalleled status among Chinese cities. With 24.87 million residents, Shanghai is one of China's busiest and most prosperous cities and the center of economic activity.
"Shanghai is more internationalized, attracting investment and exchanges from all over the world."
On the other hand, although Beijing lags behind Chongqing and Shanghai in total population with 21.86 million residents, as China's political center and cultural center, its influence is still far-reaching. In addition to Chongqing, Shanghai and Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou also follow with 21.04 million and 18.82 million permanent residents. These cities also show huge growth potential and development opportunities in their respective lands.
Today's China is not only a country with rapid economic growth, but also a symbol of rapid changes in the process of urbanization. With the improvement of infrastructure and people's living standards, more and more people are choosing to move to big cities in search of better living conditions and employment opportunities. The rapid expansion of these cities has also changed China’s social structure and economic model to a certain extent.
"The influx of people into cities reflects people's pursuit of a higher quality of life."
With China's economic structural adjustment, future urban development will face more challenges. Environmental problems, traffic congestion, rising housing prices, etc. will all become issues that city managers need to solve urgently. Urban expansion is not only a geographical extension, but also all aspects of social services, infrastructure and resource allocation.
Globally, China's urbanization process has attracted widespread attention from the international community. Scholars and policymakers from various countries have shown great interest in China's urbanization experience, hoping to gain experience and inspiration that can be used for reference. Against this background, we can't help but think about how China's cities will continue to evolve in the future, and how will such evolution affect the development direction of other cities around the world?
