China Institute of City Competitiveness, hereinafter referred to as CICC, was in 1998 in Hong Kong, which is the first institute consisting of more than 100 experts, academics and researchers from Greater China and abroad who are interested in the research and development of Chinese cities and improvement of urban competitiveness. It is an international academic organization with R & D bases in Shenzhen University, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Wanchai Hong Kong and Lijiang Yunnan, specializing in the study of urban competitiveness and providing services of improving competitiveness, consult and evaluation.

      Since its establishment for more than ten years, CICC has been carefully studying the frontier theory of competitiveness of Chinese and foreign cities, committed to construction and application of GN theory, GN mode, GN system and GN process which are independent innovation of the institute, focusing on theory, effectiveness and feasibility, organizing domestic and foreign relevant units and experts to carry out case studies of urban competitiveness upgrading, urban development strategy planning, urban branding, urban management, urban planning and design, sustainable urban development, urban conservation and rational exploitation and utilization, providing professional and international services.

      As an international professional research institution, the Institute always upholds the principle of being independent, objective and impartial, with independent identity, detached stance, unique perspective and objective judgment. The China City Competitiveness Ranking, which has been consecutively held for thirteen times in Hong Kong, has established authority and credibility for itself and has been widely recognized by the community. Meanwhile, the analysis and forecasting of economic trend in the future, new theories and ideas are often the concern of the industry and government, with impact and promotion on social economy.  Over the years, CICC has been fully cooperating with different cities, establishing strategic partnership with more than 100 cities such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Taipei, Macau, Hangzhou, Jilin, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, Dalian, Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, Zhengzhou, Erdos, Guiyang, Kunming, Qinzhou, Weihai, Xuzhou, Xinyang, Shangqiu, Liaocheng, Bijie, Tai'an, Dongxing, Dongying, Jiangmen, Shaoguan, Zaozhuang, Tonghua, Lijiang, Tongren, Jinhua, Liuzhou, Binzhou, Zhuhai and Liupanshui, providing a number of research results. It has provided research report and implementation program for multiple city governments on comprehensive competitiveness upgrading, core competitiveness upgrading, city branding, urban planning and design, beautiful city construction, livable city construction, safe and eco-city construction, happy city construction, city promotion and investment.

      CICC‘s major institutions are: City Competitiveness Research Center, City Competitiveness Evaluation Center, Government Service Center, Training Center for Heads of Government, Economic Adviser Studio for City Government, City Competitiveness Information Centre, City Investment Service Center, City Branding Center, Urban Investment and Financing Center, International City Exchange Center, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Division, Enterprise Service Center, the U.S. Branch, British Branch, French Branch, Canadian Branch, Taiwan Branch,  International Exchanges and Cooperation Committee, etc. Its core journal is the China City issued in public, and the main publication is the annual major tool-China City Competitiveness Yearbook.

      Prof. Gui Qiangfang, founder of CICC, put forward the grand vision at the beginning of its establishment that "Based on the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, serve China and advance to the world", requiring the R&D team with service quality of "excellence and eternality", adhering to the spirit of constant innovation and surpassing, with full efforts to boost China city's competitiveness upgrading.  CICC sincerely looks forward to working with Chinese cities and planning for new millennium of urban development in future!