The World Bank and China¡¯s State Information Center jointly conducted a survey of over 10,000 firms in 120 cities in China and ranked the competitiveness of these cities in terms of their investment attractiveness, government efficiency and progress toward achieving a harmonious society. Hangzhou and Shaoxing both top the list in all the indices. For instance, firms in Hangzhou spend an average of only 8.1 days a year dealing with government officials. This index, according to David Dollar, World Bank¡¯s Country Director for China and Mongolia, quantifies to some extent the government burden on firms. Hangzhou is the best performer in this regard.

This survey indicates that, in general, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong boast the best investment climate. Apart from the six ¡°golden cities¡±, 13 other cities are awarded ¡°silver cities¡±, including Beijing, Ningbo and Shanghai.