The list of China's top 200 "cities" for pastoral beauty was jointly released by the Hong Kong Chinese and Foreign Institute of City Competitiveness, the Hong Kong-based China City magazine, and the Asia-Pacific Environment Protection Association (APEPA) on Aug 3.

Two sites in Zhanjiang, namely Xuwen county and the Zhanjiang area of Guangdong Nongken Group, were included in the list, making Zhanjiang the only city in west Guangdong province that has sites on the list.

The "cities" refer to counties, county-level districts, city-industry new districts, and Nongken new cities. The list is aimed at highlighting the beauty of China's pastoral landscape, folk customs, natural ecology, high-quality industries, and urban-rural integration, as well as promoting the sustainable development of agricultural production, the rural economy, and the beautiful countryside.

Ten indexes were used for evaluations on the list, including pastoral beauty, ecological environment, folk customs, living environment, industries, and public praise.

A public survey of tourists, travel agencies, and people from all walks of life at home and abroad was also conducted by the list's research team, along with field trips and references to public information on agricultural, tourism, cultural, and economic development.

Guangdong had a total of 10 sites that were included on this year's list.

The pineapple sea in Xuwen county of Zhanjiang offers a beautiful pastoral view. [Photo by Li Bo/gdzjdaily.com.cn]