ZHONGSHAN, China, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 23, the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China officially released the China Cities Digital Image Index (2026) at the Third China Urban Online Image Innovation Forum in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province. The report assesses the digital public image of 116 major Chinese cities across five dimensions: urban communication, cultural presence, economic performance, quality of life, and governance effectiveness.

The Index reveals two defining features of China's urban digital image landscape: the continued dominance of megacities and the accelerating visibility of cities with distinctive identities. Findings indicate a nonlinear relationship between city size and digital image performance, demonstrating that demographic scale alone does not determine a city's reputational standing online. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen maintain their top positions through comprehensive, multi-dimensional strengths spanning communication, culture, and economic influence. Nanjing, Suzhou, and Xi'an have consolidated their place in the first tier through consistent and well-grounded development trajectories, reflecting an increasingly varied national landscape.

Regional Patterns and Emerging Clusters

At the regional level, eastern cities remain the primary drivers of digital image performance. Within the Yangtze River Delta, Suzhou, Wuxi, Ningbo, Changzhou, and Jiaxing have collectively established a high-quality livability corridor. Southern Fujian's Xiamen, Quanzhou, and Jinjiang form a private-enterprise cluster, while Zhuhai, Jiangmen, and Zhongshan have distinguished themselves through a livability-focused urban identity within the Greater Bay Area.

The Index also documents a broader geographic rebalancing. In central and western China, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Wuhan have secured firm positions in the national top tier, joined by smaller cities such as Wuhu, Baotou, Luoyang, and Xining, whose strong livability and governance records have earned them growing national visibility. In the Northeast, Yanbian's entry into the top tier stands out as the report's most notable upward movement, with Daqing, Jilin, and Jinzhou also posting consistent gains in governance and quality-of-life indicators.

Collaborative Research Effort

Now in its third annual edition, the report was compiled by the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China, in collaboration with partner universities including Sun Yat-sen University, Communication University of China, and Central China Normal University.

The forum brought together communication scholars from leading universities across China, alongside municipal representatives and industry practitioners from eight cities including Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Fuzhou, to explore pathways for sustained enhancement of urban digital image.

About the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China

Established in 1955, the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China is the first higher education institution for journalism founded by the Communist Party of China in the People's Republic of China. As the cradle of journalists in New China, a key base for Marxist journalism research, and the birthplace of journalism education, the School has consistently ranked first or received an "A+" rating in all national first-level discipline evaluations conducted by the Ministry of Education. The School comprises five departments: Journalism, Communication, Audio-Visual Communication, Advertising and Media Economics, and International Journalism and Communication. It houses two national key disciplines: Journalism and Communication. The School was among the first institutions granted degree-awarding rights for the first-level discipline of Journalism and Communication and is designated as a "Double First-Class" construction discipline. As of March 2025, the School has 1,117 enrolled students, and all its undergraduate programs have been recognized as first-class undergraduate program construction sites under the Ministry of Education's "Double Ten-Thousand" Plan.