Shenzhen tops other Chinese cities for potential growth, followed by Macao and Suzhou, according to a report released by the China Institute of City Competitiveness in Hong Kong on Monday.

This is the sixth consecutive year that Shenzhen has finished top among 289 cities in the growth-potential category of the competitive list made by the institute.

However, the report pointed out that in terms of overall competitiveness, Shenzhen ranked fourth behind Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. Researchers responsible for the survey commented that Shenzhen had the greatest growth potential among cities, but the city still had to make great effort to catch up with the other three.

The institute also ranked Shenzhen second as a "City of Love," based upon the city's charity campaigns and donations to the Sichuan earthquake victims. Shenzhen ranked third in terms of dealing with the financial crisis.

(Shenzhen Daily December 31, 2008)