Shenzhen ranked first in innovation capacity among major Chinese cities, according to a monitoring report and an assessment report separately released by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China.
The reports monitored and assessed the innovation capability of Chinese cities from five aspects, including innovation governance, original innovation capability, technological innovation, science achievements transformation and innovation driving forces.
Shenzhen took first place and was followed by Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Wuhan. Xi’an, Suzhou, Changsha, Chengdu and Qingdao took sixth to 10th places.
The reports found the shares of fixed asset investments in GDP in cities like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Suzhou, Xiamen, Wuxi and Ningbo were below 60 percent, which indicates these cities have been on the technology- and innovation-driven high-quality development road and have reduced their reliance on fixed asset investments.
The reports categorized innovation cities into three types based on their functions. The three types are: cities of innovation origins, cities of innovation growth and cities of innovation agglomeration.
The 15 cities represented by Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Wuhan are cities of innovation origins as they have strong original innovation capability as they house many higher learning institutions, research institutes and leading enterprises.
The reports found that talented people are the key to innovative development of a city. Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Suzhou are the leading cities with high-quality entrepreneurial talent from home and abroad.
Since 2008, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission have supported 78 cities and areas to become innovation-based cities.