Reviewing China’s economy and understanding the country is not an easy task.

There are several reasons for this:

1. China has a population of 1.4 billion;
2. The country ranks third in the world by land area;
3. China’s economy continues to grow rapidly;
4. State power is held by a communist government that has embarked on the development of a market economy;
5. An ancient and rich culture;
6. Demographic challenges.

To fully understand China’s rise, it is necessary to take a closer look at the economic indicators achieved by Chinese cities.

Of course, cities familiar to everyone, such as Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong, are global business centers. But have you heard of cities such as Shijiazhuang, Wuxi, Changsha, Suzhou, Ningbo, Foshan or Yantai?
China has several dozen cities that people in the West have never heard of. Yet millions of people live in them, and the GDPs of these cities are comparable to those of entire countries.

Eurasia Development invites you to view an infographic comparing Chinese cities and countries around the world by GDP. Each of the 35 cities included has a GDP comparable to that of an entire country.

MegaregionsIt is also very important to remember that cities do not exist in isolation. On the contrary, they are integral parts of megaregions.
Such large areas can be compared with the Northeastern United States, where New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore and Washington are located within a few hours of one another but are deeply integrated into the regional economy.

Three megaregions in China are particularly notable:
Yangtze River DeltaIts combined GDP amounts to USD 2.17 trillion, comparable to the GDP of Italy.

The megaregion includes cities such as Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Nantong, Ningbo, Nanjing and Changzhou.

Pearl River DeltaIts combined GDP amounts to USD 1.89 trillion, comparable to the GDP of South Korea.

The megaregion includes cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Foshan, Dongguan and Macao.

Beijing–TianjinIts combined GDP amounts to USD 1.14 trillion, comparable to the GDP of Australia.

This major region includes the two largest cities in Northern China — Beijing and Tianjin. Travel time between the two cities by high-speed train is 30 minutes.