Empirical assessment on the liveability of cities in the Greater China Region

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to apply a comprehensive Liveability Cities index to rank the liveability of 100 cities in the Greater China Region. Against the backdrop of the ongoing trend of rapid and extensive urbanisation observed in China, “liveability” is being given an increasingly higher priority by the Chinese government. However, there has been no attempt to empirically measure this concept and to examine its nexus to the narrower concept of competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach – The index is based on 96 indicators across five environments, namely, economic vibrancy and competitiveness; environmental friendliness and sustainability; domestic security and stability; socio-cultural conditions; and political governance. Findings – The empirical results show that Hong Kong, Macau and cities in Taiwan generally perform well in overall liveability rankings, while first-tier cities in mainland China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen) do not find a place among the top ranks. Originality/value – The rankings and simulation exercise aim to provide Chinese policy makers with a framework to assess the liveability of China’s cities and suggests indicative policy suggestions that can be taken to improve overall liveability.