Which city is better, Nanjing or Chengdu?

Answer 1

Nanjing and Chengdu each had their own unique advantages. It was difficult to determine which city was better.

From the perspective of economic development, Chengdu's gross domestic product in 2023 (2,095.3 billion) was higher than Nanjing's (1,977.1 billion), but Nanjing ranked sixth in the top 100 list, Chengdu ranked eighth, and Nanjing's economic development momentum was stronger. Nanjing was a city of science and education. It had 13 "double-first-class" universities and many non-double-first-class universities. There were many affiliated hospitals and research institutes of the universities. Its scientific and technological level was among the best in the country, attracting young students who loved science and technology from all over the country. The power of science and technology pushed the economy forward steadily. At the same time, Nanjing's traditional industries such as agriculture, chemicals, machinery, and electronics were constantly transforming into high-end and intelligent industries. Chengdu was a well-known gourmet capital in the country. It had many gourmet shops and special scenic spots such as the Panda Base and Jinli Ancient Street. The tourism and food culture-related industries were developed.

In terms of the rate of urban development, all the 11 districts in Nanjing are connected to the subway and there are no county towns, so the rate of urban development is relatively high. Some districts in Chengdu are transformed from county towns. Dujiangyan, Chongzhou City, Pengzhou City and Qingbaijiang District are not connected to the urban area by subway. The rate of urban development is different from that of Nanjing. However, the population of Chengdu (more than 21 million) is much higher than that of Nanjing (more than 9 million). Chengdu is the core city of the entire southwest region and has a higher upper limit for future development.

In terms of geographical location and transportation, Nanjing was located along the Yangtze River and was located in the densely populated Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai areas. It was a transition zone between the north and the south, and the public transportation facilities to the surrounding cities were more complete. Chengdu was located in the southwest, and there were few people in the west. It was far from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Most of the people from other provinces traveled long distances. The traffic radiation range was mainly in the surrounding cities such as Ziyang, Deyang, and Meishan.

From the perspective of city positioning, Chengdu was designated as the national central city and an important central city in the west. Nanjing was an important central city in the east. Both were provincial capitals, historical and cultural cities, and international transportation hub. There was almost no difference in planning level.

In general, choosing Nanjing or Chengdu depended on personal preferences, such as the technological atmosphere, the level of urban development, the size of the population, the food culture, and other factors.