The Foreign Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security released the 2025-26 survey findings – "Amazing China: The Most Attractive Chinese Cities in the Eyes of Foreign Talent" and the 2025-26 Foreign Talent Attraction Index of Chinese Cities – at the 2026 Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchange and Cooperation Conference on Sept 28.

The survey selected 81 cities in China with a high concentration of foreign talent (excluding the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions of China) and surveyed foreign talent working and living in these cities. A total of 6,258 valid questionnaires were received. The quantitative study analyzed the evaluations of foreign talent from three dimensions: work satisfaction, living convenience, and social inclusiveness. The Foreign Talent Attraction Index of Chinese Cities was derived on the basis of respondents' answers.

Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Qingdao, Nanjing, Chengdu, Xiamen, Dalian, Tianjin, Xi'an, Chongqing, Kunming, Ningbo, Haikou, Ji’nan, Changsha, and Wuhan are the top 20 cities of the 2025-26 Foreign Talent Attraction Index.

Based on the three sub-indices of work satisfaction, living convenience, and social inclusiveness, the study also released the top 10 cities recognized by foreign talent as the "City of Opportunity", "City of Livability", and "City of Inclusion". Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are the top 5 cities of the "City of Opportunity". Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Qingdao are among the top 5 cities in the "City of Livability" category. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou are the top 5 cities of the "City of Inclusion".

Tang Fuqiang, Director-General of the Foreign Talent Research Center, presented the findings of the "Foreign Talent Attraction Index of Chinese Cities". The most attractive Chinese cities in the eyes of foreign talent show the following characteristics:

First, international sci-tech innovation centers such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area stand out in their attractiveness to foreign talent. China's efforts to build talent hubs and talent platforms have yielded sustained results, and the talent development ecosystem keeps improving.

Second, clusters of emerging and distinctive industries have become the core attraction for foreign talent to come to China for innovation and entrepreneurship. The talent-pooling effect of city clusters is increasingly prominent, and talent flows between core cities and their neighboring cities are active.

Third, Chinese cities' safe and inclusive environment has received relatively high ratings, and foreign talent's overall experience in China is improving. More than 60% of surveyed high-level foreign experts hope to develop their careers in China over the long term.

Fourth, notable progress has been made in facilitating government services for foreign talent. Many cities have built one-stop comprehensive service platforms offering integrated digital services, which are widely praised by foreign talent. At the same time, there is still room for improvement in the effectiveness of talent policies and the supply of information services.

Fifth, county-level cities, building on their comprehensive advantages such as industrial supporting facilities, openness and cooperation, lower business costs, and a livable environment, are cultivating "small but specialized, small but beautiful" competitiveness in talent attraction and becoming an important new destination for foreign talent.

Since 2010, the "Amazing China" survey project has been carried out for 16 years. This project has received support from the administering authorities for foreign experts' affairs nationwide. The Foreign Talent Research Center and the research team from Beijing University of Technology jointly completed the data statistics and numerical calculations.

Based on the survey findings, the Foreign Talent Research Center will continue to enhance the ability of Chinese cities to attract foreign talent. This project will provide support and recommendations for local governments to improve the environment for foreign talent development, and contribute to accelerating China's development into a global hub for talent and innovation.