Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China, and is also China’s second largest city. As one of the four municipalities under direct control of the Central Government, Beijing is a political, transportation and cultural center. Integrating Chinese cultural symbols from the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Beijing boasts various historic relics and cultural landscapes, as well as the largest number of World Cultural Heritage sites. In 2010, Beijing was listed as the world’s 15 th largest metropolitan area, holding the highest position among all of the cities in mainland China. *Images provided by Sen Qing and Li Ziyi

Shanghai is one of the four municipalities in China directly under the control of the Central Government. It is the country’s largest economic center and trading port, its largest industrial city as well as a major scientific, trade, financial and information center. Shanghai is also known as “China’s Excellent Tourism City” and has been nicknamed the “Paris of the Orient”. In 2010, it successfully hosted the World Expo. *Images courtesy of FOTOE

Chengdu is located in the center of Sichuan Province on the Chengdu Plain, and has been known as “the land of plenty” since ancient times. It's one of the sub-provincial cities and an important pivotal city in the central and western regions of China. Chengdu is a center of technology, trade and finance, as well as a major traffic hub in the southwest region. It is also the center of politics, economics and culture in Sichuan Province, and one of the main cities for the west or southwest headquarters of organizations, central enterprises and foreign enterprises in China

The Macau Special Administrative Region, which is located to the west of the Pearl River Delta along the southeast coast of China, consists of the Macau Peninsula, Taipa Island, Coloane Island and Cotai. It is one of the world's most densely populated areas, with more than 500,000 people living in a total area of just ​​32.8 square kilometers. Macau is one of the four major casino cities in the world, with its famous textile, toy, and tourism industries as well as hotels and casinos always having been prosperous.

Taipei, the provincial capital of Taiwan China Province, is located at the center of the Taipei Basin in the north of Taiwan Island and on the right bank of the Danshui River. It is the center for politics, economics, culture and education as well as being Taiwan's largest city. Taipei plays a key role in finance, media and telecommunications. Its tertiary industry accounts for nearly 90% of the city’s overall industry.

Guangzhou, located in the south of Guangdong Province, is both the provincial capital and one of China's Top Five Central Metropolitan Areas. At the conflux of the Xijiang, Beijiang and Dongjiang rivers, it lies conveniently close to Hong Kong and Macao. A popular destination for overseas Chinese, Guangzhou boasts the largest number of returned overseas Chinese among Chinese cities. During the Ming Dynasty, the Maritime Silk Road started here. Acclaimed as the "South Gate” of China, Guangzhou was also the host for the 16th Asian Games.

         

Harbin is the capital city of Heilongjiang Province and is the northernmost provincial capital in China. Special history and unique geographic location have shaped Harbin into a unique and beautiful city. Harbin has been influenced by the historical and cultural influence of minority groups in North China, along with elements of Western culture. It is one of China's national-class historic, cultural and sightseeing cities. *Images provided by Wang Yuanchang and FOTOE

         Sanya City lies at the southern tip of Hainan Island, covers a total land area of 1,919 square kilometers, and is the home of Li, Miao, Hui and Han ethnic areas. The landscape of Sanya City is covered with hills and rivers and its bordered by the sea. The mountains lie to the north and the City faces the sea to the south. The coastline extends 209.1 kilometers, including 40 islands and 19 harbors of different sizes. The main ports are Sanya Gang, Yulin Gang, Nanshan Gang and Tielu Gang; and major bays include Sanya Bay, Haitang Bay, Yalong Bay and Ya Zhou Bay. *Images provided by CFP

Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, is a national-class historic and cultural city and an important tourist destination in China. Located in the central part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Kunming has a pleasant climate with four moderate seasons without hot summers and cold winters, earning it the internationally famous nickname "Spring City". Kunming boasts diverse tourism resources and many urban attractions featuring its long history, splendid culture, colorful folklore, beautiful natural scenery and advantageous climate. *Images Provided by Wang Yuanchang and Zhang Guangyuan

Guilin is a world-renowned tourist destination and one of China’s national historical and cultural cities. It is located in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, flanked by Hunan Province in the north and Guangdong Province in the south. The city is the most important tourist destination in Guangxi and typical Karst topography gives the city unique natural scenery characterized by thousands of hills, a river running through the city and magnificent caves and stones.

         

Qingdao, which is located in the southeast of Shandong Peninsula, looks out on the Yellow Sea to the south and the east. It’s encircled by Yantai on the northeast, Weifang on the west and Rizhao on the southwest. Qingdao is listed as one of 15 sub-provincial level cities in the country. Qingdao is a noted national historic and cultural city, one of China’s first top tourist cities, one of China’s first culturally advanced cities and the host city for the sailing events at the 2008 Olympic Games. *Images provided by He Dajun and CFP

Located in the southeast of Fujian province, Xiamen is a beautiful coastal city that neighbors Zhangzhou in the west, Quanzhouin in the north, and separated from Jinmen Island in the southeast by the Taiwan Strait. As a sub-provincial city of People’s Republic of China, Xiamen is one of the 5 cities specially designated in the state plan and one of the first 5 special national economic zones. It’s an important port for foreign trade with its beautiful sceneries and geographical advantages. *Image provided by FOTOE

Chongqing, or “Yu” for short, is one of China’s Great Historical and Cultural Cities. Throughout its history, Chongqing has been the capital of the State of Ba and the State of Daxia, as well as the provisional capital. That is why it is called “The Capital in Triplicate”. It has also long been dubbed the “foggy city” and “mountain city” because of its mountains and fog. In March 1997, Chongqing officially became China's fourth municipality directly controlled by the central government, and the only one in Western China, opening a new chapter in the city’s history. *Images provided by the Chongqing Tourism Administration, Qin Wen, FOTOE

         

Dubai is the second largest emirate of the United Arab Emirates. The emirate consists of Dubai city, the capital of the emirate, Jebel Ali Free Zone, and Hatta Town. Dubai has the world’s first seven-star hotel and tallest building, Dubai Tower (Khalifa tower), and is the best place for top-notch architectural designers to display their creativity. Oil and the status of an important trading port bring huge fortune to Dubai. Nowadays Dubai is the synonym for luxury. *Images provided by Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing

         

London, the capital of England, is the British political, economic, cultural, and transportation center, and one of the four world-class cities, together with New York in the United States, Paris in France and Tokyo in Japan. London is well known for its long history, gorgeous colors, and magnificent grace. London is a very diverse metropolis where people from all over the world embody a variety of ethnic groups, religions and cultures. In addition, London is also a world-famous tourist destination, attracting tourists from all over the world to explore its unique urban charm. *Images provided by London Tourist Board

Vancouver is ideally located between coastal mountains and beautiful blue sea. Although the city is known for its moderate climate, the surrounding snow-capped mountain is both a perfect place for winter sports and a good place to look at stunning views of the city. Vancouver is one of the few cities in the world where you can ski in the morning and sail in the afternoon. The city hosted the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympics Games. *Images provided by Canadian Tourism Commission