The Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies unveiled the "China Urban International Image Assessment Report" in Fuzhou, Jiangxi province on June 17, with Harbin recognized as an "international image development city".
 
City international image is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the overall global impression of a city.
 
The report devised the China urban international image index based on five aspects: international media influence, overseas new media matrix dissemination power, overseas netizen attention, construction of city overseas communication websites, and construction of city international social circles, providing a comprehensive international image assessment of 337 cities in China.
 
The report designated Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Qingdao, Ningbo, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Jingdezhen, and Suzhou as cities leading in international image.
 
Xi'an, Tianjin, Foshan, Hefei, Harbin, Tai'an, Yangzhou, Quanzhou, Jilin, and Nanchang were recognized as cities with emerging international images.
 
Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture, Changsha, Kunming, Pu'er, Dongguan, Wuxi, Dezhou, Zibo, Fuzhou, and Dalian were identified as cities with potential for international image growth.
 
The report highlighted groundbreaking progress in city media integrated communication. Over the past decade, the number of city accounts on overseas social media platforms has steadily increased.
 
In 2013, only 20 accounts were opened on the three major overseas social platforms, a number that grew nearly 14-fold by 2023.
 
Furthermore, the report revealed a distinct "long-tail effect" in overseas netizen attention. Leading cities exhibited higher attention levels, with 318 out of 337 cities having a Google heat index of less than 10, and an average heat index of 19.62.