China's financial hub Shanghai took the crown on the list of China's top 10 cities by consumption from January to May as China's economy recovers during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the 21st Century Economic Research Institute.

Followed by the capital city of Beijing, Shanghai is the only city whose total volume of retail sales surpassed 500 billion yuan ($71.42 billion) from January to May.

In the first five months of this year, the total volume of retail sales of Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong province reached 342.23 billion yuan, a figure surpassed by Southwest China's Chongqing, who took the third spot on the list.

Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, ranked ninth.

The cruise ship on the Fuchun River at night. The ship features a typically Chinese-style design and advanced facilities. [Photo/WeChat account: hzfbwx]