Once again, Zhuhai is the leading city in China when it comes to urban livability, according to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Social Science Press. The two institutions released an annual report on urban livability competitiveness on May 30, naming the Top 10 Competitive Cities in Urban Livability 2015.

Lovers Avenue and the Fisher Maiden Statue, the icon of Zhuhai City, on the bank of Xianglu Bay. [File Photo]

This is the third consecutive year that the Pearl River Delta coastal city has been rated the country's most livable city. According to the 2016 China Urban Competitiveness Report, the other livable cities on the top 10 list include, in order from top down, Xiamen, Zhoushan, Hong Kong, Haikou, Shenzhen, Sanya, Wenzhou, Suzhou, and Wuxi.

Zhuhai first ascended to the top of the list in 2013 by surpassing Hong Kong and has retained the honor since.

In recent years, Zhuhai has taken progressive action to improve and preserve its ecology, urban functions and services, and urban civilization. Such steps to improve livability led Zhuhai to be honored as one of the Top 10 Sustainable Cities and Top 10 Leisure Livable Eco-Cities in 2010. It led the list of the Top 10 Livable Cities in 2013 when it was also named China's Most Beautiful City.

The 2016 China Urban Competitiveness Report was compiled by experts from across the country led by Ni Pengfei, assistant president of the National Academy of Economic Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The researchers carried out empirical work on the economic competitiveness of 294 cities and the sustainable competitiveness of 289 cities in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The report also included the top 10 lists examining such aspects of competitiveness as a city’s business potential, ecology and harmony of life.