(Handout via Xinhua Daily)
Suzhou secured fifth place on the list of “The Most Attractive Chinese Cities in the Eyes of Foreign Talent" for 2023, released by the Foreign Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on September 28.
Suzhou was just behind Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, moving up one place from the previous year. This also marked the city’s 13th consecutive year of being included in the rankings.
The rankings are based on a survey among foreign talent, focusing on three dimensions - job satisfaction, convenience of living, and friendliness of the environment, reflecting the progress of Chinese cities in attracting foreign talent.
The 2023 edition selected 39 cities in the Chinese mainland and received 4,816 valid responses. Other cities in the top 20 included Shenzhen, Qingdao, Nanjing, Chengdu, Xiamen, Haikou, Chongqing, Dalian, Ningbo, Kunming, Xi’an, Changsha, Changzhou, Hefei, and Jinan.
Suzhou garners high recognition from foreign talent for several reasons. The city has strengthened its international research environment, boasting nearly 100 national-level innovation platforms and a wealth of pro-innovation industry-university collaborations. In addition, more than 50 university research institutes are currently under construction in the city.
High-quality talent communities promoted the integration of talent, industry, culture and public services in Suzhou. The city has accelerated the establishment of international schools and connected with high-end international medical resources, offering personalized services for top talent, including children's education, healthcare, housing, leisure, and transportation.
Additionally, it is the first city in Jiangsu to establish special service windows for high-end foreign talent, including the one-step service center at Suzhou Industrial Park.
This year, Suzhou also introduced the innovative mobile payment tool "Su-Pay" for short-term visitors, with the aims of facilitating the use of foreign credit cards, and improving cash withdrawal and exchange services.
