Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen occupy the top three positions in the latest ranking of Chinese cities for sci-tech innovation according to a report released earlier this month.

The ranking is part of the 19th Chinese City Competitiveness Report co-published by the National Academy of Economic Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the China Social Sciences Press.

The ranking evaluates 291 Chinese cities based on patent applications, academic papers, tech companies, universities and public cultural facilities.

Regarding city clusters, sci-tech innovation in the Pearl River Delta, Beibu Gulf and Wuhan city cluster has risen significantly, with the average position of cities within these regions increasing by 9.72, 8.36 and 7.36 places respectively.

Below are the top 10 Chinese cities for sci-tech innovation competitiveness in 2021:

10. Qingdao

Photo taken on Aug. 19, 2021, shows the scenery of Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong province. [Photo/VCG]