Beijing City Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Beijing, sometimes also referred to as Peking, is the political, cultural and educational centre of China. The majestic Forbidden City stands as a symbol of ancient grandeur, while the bustling hutongs offer a glimpse into traditional Chinese life amidst a backdrop of modern skyscrapers and technological innovation.

But how does Beijing do in terms of city performance, brand strength and reputation? Let’s explore deeper how Beijing positions itself on the world stage, drawing insights from data provided by TPBO partners and other reputable institutions.

Let’s take a closer look at:

• Beijing’s competitiveness and financial performance
• Beijing’s brand strength and global attractiveness
• Livability: Beijing’s appeal for digital nomads and locals

Beijing’s competitiveness and financial performance

How attractive is Beijing as a place to work and do business?

The Global Financial Centres Index 34 continues to rank Beijing 13^th. It is currently sitting between Shenzhen (12^th) and Frankfurt (14^th). Beijing also ranked as the 13^th centre most likely to become more significant. Moreover, the city holds a strong standing in the following areas of competitiveness: Business Environment (5^th), Financial Sector Development (8^th), Human Capital (9^th), Infrastructure (9^th), and Reputational & General (9^th). It also performs very well in the following industry sectors: Banking (4^th), Investment Management (5^th), Finance (5^th), Trading (5^th), and Insurance (6^th). Beijing holds the sixth place in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to 2thinknow’s Innovation Cities Index 2022-2023 Beijing dropped nine positions from the previous ranking and now holds the 28^th position. It sits in between Milan (27^th) and Vancouver (29^th).

Beijing’s brand strength and global attractiveness

Which subfactors hurt and help the brand of Beijing? 

Resonance’s 2023 World’s Best Cities Report ranks Beijing 18^th, scoring the following in the Place Power Highlights: 10^th for Google Search and 13^th for University. It currently sits in between Washington DC (17^th) and Istanbul (19^th).

Beijing continues to rank 5^th according to Kearney’s 2023 Global Cities Report. Beijing ranks 39^th for the Global Cities Outlook, a drop in 12 positions from the previous ranking.

The comprehensive ranking of the Global Power City Index ranks Beijing 17^th, sitting in between Stockholm (16^th) and Hong Kong (18^th). In terms of function-specific rankings, the city ranks 3^rd in terms of Economy, 12^th in R&D, 19^th in Cultural Interaction, 31^st in Livability, 39^th in Environment, and 40^th in Accessibility. Moreover, Beijing ranks 4^th in the Variety of Workplace Positions. Lastly, Beijing positioned 30^th in the Highly-skilled Workers, 11^th in the Corporate Executive, 30^th in the Resident, and 16^th in the Tourism categories.

According to Brand Finance’s City Index 2023, Beijing ranks 58^th in the global ranking with a score of 63.2/100, sitting in between Marseille (57^th) and Mexico City (59^th).

Livability: Beijing’s appeal for digital nomads and locals

Which aspects of Beijing’s urban living make it an attractive place to live, work and study?

The Mercer Quality of Living City Ranking places Beijing 126^th, sitting between Sofia (125^th) and Rabat and Tel Aviv (both in 127^th). The Mercer Cost of Living Ranking ranks Beijing 13^th, a drop of three positions from the previous ranking. It now sits between Shanghai (12^th) and San Francisco (14^th). The cost living survey reports that factors such as currency fluctuations, cost inflation for goods and services, and instability of accommodation prices are key to determine the cost of expat packages for employees on international assignment.

The Arcadis Sustainability City Index 2022 ranks Beijing 73^rd overall, sitting in between Bangkok (72^nd) and Istanbul (74^th). Beijing’s pillar rankings are the following: Planet 91^st, People 71^st, Profit 53^rd.

Lastly, Beijing is home to a couple of the best universities in the world. According to The Times Higher Education ranking, Tsinghua University ranks 12^th, and Peking University 14^th. The QS World University ranking positions Tsinghua University 25^th, and Peking University 17^th.

Last updated in January 2024. More city benchmarking insights, profiles and reports in our City Observatory.

Enjoyed our summary of global rankings and indices on Beijing’s economic performance, its sustainability, attractiveness for digital nomads, brand strength and reputation? Thanks for sharing!