'We're No ... 4?'

Beijing longs for global greatness, but it first needs to get past the competition at home

Beijing was ranked only fourth in the latest survey of Chinese urban competitiveness. World's fair host Shanghai was one spot ahead for the bronze position in a report that stressed the good and bad, including Beijing's paltry showing in social equality.

The annual report on urban competitiveness 2010, which investigated almost 300 cities in China, was released by the Social Sciences Academy Press on April 26.