A view of Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: huzhoufabu]

Huzhou in East China's Zhejiang province was ranked 52nd among the nation's top 100 cities in comprehensive strength in 2021, three spots higher than the previous year, according to a recent report.

The report, which was published by the Warton Economic Institute on May 21, evaluated the top 110 Chinese cities based on factors like gross domestic product (GDP), government revenue, environment, science and education, culture, as well as health.

Beijing was ranked China's top city, followed by Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Wuxi. 

The report is released annually by the Warton Economic Institute, a Shanghai-based organization focused on the research of macro and regional economies, as well as enterprise analysis.

The top 100 cities are the prime engine fueling China's economic growth. In 2020, the top 100 cities achieved a total GDP of 71.81 trillion yuan ($11.05 trillion), accounting for 70.68 percent of the nation's total.