The city of Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province, has joined list of cities with the highest happiness index as well as the list of cities with cultural soft power, according to an announcement at the China-International Urban Development Forum, in Beijing, on Oct 31.

Voting on the additions to the list began this past August, with more than 23 million people taking part in the survey, which had a theme of “Chinese Culture, Global Influence”, and six criteria, dealing the city’s charm, image and happiness, cultural vitality, and communications, with advice from Chinese and foreign experts, according to the organizing committee.

Sponsors of the study were Oriental Outlook, a weekly magazine of the Xinhua News Agency, and the Annual Report on Urban Development in China, of the Mayors Association.

Source: China Daily