2025-2026 the Most Attractive Chinese Cities in the Eyes of Foreign Talents

On September 28th, the Foreign Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security released the Survey Findings of 2025-2026 “Amazing China – The Most Attractive Chinese Cities in the Eyes of Foreign Talents” at the 2026 Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchange and Cooperation Conference.

Top 20 of the most attractive Chinese cities in the eyes of foreign talents

Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Qingdao, Nanjing, Chengdu, Xiamen, Dalian, Tianjin, Xi’an, Chongqing, Kunming, Ningbo, Haikou, Jinan, Changsha, and Wuhan are the 20 most attractive Chinese cities in the eyes of foreign talents.
This survey selected 81 cities in China with a high concentration of foreign talent (excluding the Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan regions of China) and conducted a questionnaire among foreign talents working and living in these cities. A total of 6258 valid questionnaires were received. 
The study quantitatively analyzed the evaluations of foreign talents from three dimensions: work satisfaction, living convenience, and social inclusiveness. Based on the three dimensions, the study released the top 10 cities recognized by foreign talent as the “City of Opportunities” “City of Livability” and “City of Inclusion”. 

Top 10 of the “City of Opportunities” in the eyes of foreign talents

Top 10 of the “City of Livability” in the eyes of foreign talents

Top 10 of the “City of Inclusion” in the eyes of foreign talents

The most attractive Chinese cities in the eyes of foreign talents 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 talents. 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 talents 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 talents’ 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 talents. Many cities have built one-stop comprehensive service platforms offering integrated digital services, which are widely praised by foreign talents. 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 comprehensive advantages such as industrial supporting facilities, openness and cooperation, lower business costs, and a livable environment, are cultivating  a “small but specialized, small but beautiful” competitiveness in talent attraction and becoming an important new destination for foreign talents.
Since 2010, the “Amazing China” survey has been carried out for 16 years. This survey has received support from the administering authority for foreign experts’ affairs nationwide. The Foreign Talent Research Center and the team from Beijing University of Technology jointly completed the data statistics and numerical calculations.

Source：Foreign Talent Research Center