Beijing tops national modernization ranking for 5th year

Beijing has once again ranked first in the Chinese Modernization Index Report released by Renmin University of China (RUC) last week, leading the country for a fifth consecutive year.

The report assesses the nation’s modernization progress across five dimensions: economic, political, cultural, social and ecological. Shanghai and Zhejiang province ranked second and third, respectively.

Li Jingping, director of RUC's Chinese Modernization Monitoring and Evaluation Center and associate dean of the School of Statistics, said the report covers 2020 to 2024 and provides data-driven insights and policy suggestions. Key focus areas include economic security, democratic governance, cultural services, public welfare and environmental protection.

Overall, the Chinese modernization index rose to 76.88 from 74.25, indicating steady gains and shrinking regional gaps. Economic and ecological indices are close to 80, while six provinces and municipalities, including Guangdong and Jiangsu, have held top-10 positions for five years. The findings highlight notable progress in high-quality economic growth, government efficiency, cultural enrichment, social equity and environmental sustainability.

The report recommends steps to strengthen economic security, increase access to cultural resources, enhance care for older adults and children, raise educational equity and quality, and promote the silver economy.

RUC also announced the launch of the Chinese Modernization Large Model project, aiming to establish a dedicated dataset and analytical platform to visualize and support research on Chinese modernization.