The annual Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchange and Cooperation Conference kicks off on Sept 28. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

The annual Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchange and Cooperation Conference kicked off on Sept 28, drawing global attention once again.

On the 2023 list of the "Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Expats", released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security's Foreign Talent Research Center, Hangzhou ranked third, following Beijing and Shanghai, marking its 14th consecutive year on the list and an improvement over its 2022 ranking.

Since 2010, the campaign has been the only national ranking based solely on evaluations by foreign talent. This year, the survey covered 39 cities across China, excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, gathering 4,816 responses. Hangzhou stood out for its convenience of living, with its digital lifestyle receiving high praise from expats. Over 80 percent of respondents believed that working in China helped them achieve personal growth, with Hangzhou scoring just behind Shanghai and Beijing in job satisfaction.

The top 10 cities in the 2023 rankings were Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Nanjing, Chengdu, and Xiamen.

During the conference, Hangzhou introduced the Qinghe Plan to attract global young talent, alongside new policies supporting high-quality industrial development. The city aims to support over 80 percent of its industry leaders with project funding and plans to add 100,000 high-level industry professionals over the next three years. Additionally, Hangzhou will seek to cultivate 15,000 engineers and 100,000 skilled workers.

The event also launched 11 talent exchange routes, focusing on key industries such as humanoid robots, digital medicine, and low-altitude economy, creating new opportunities for collaboration between industry and talent.

For the first time, the event coincided with Hangzhou Talent Day, celebrated on Sept 28, featuring a series of cultural events to honor and support talent, reinforcing the city's commitment to serving global talent.

A bird's-eye view of Hangzhou's CBD area. [Photo/IC]