Chinanews, Beijing, Feb. 27 – The Renmin University of China's Investigation and Assessment Center on Monday published the China Development Index for the first time. The index categorizes the 31 provincial-level administrative regions in China (except Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao) into four classes, with Beijing and Shanghai both named as the first class on the list, far ahead of other provinces.

 

Tianjin, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Fujian are grouped as the second class on the list, and twelve provinces (Liaoning, Jilin, Shandong, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Hunan, Henan, Hubei, Xinjiang, and Shannxi) as the third class. Another 12 provincial-level administrative regions (Chongqing, Hainan, Guangxi, Ningxia, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Anhui, Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Tibet) are in the fourth class.

 

The China Development Index consists of the four separate indexes of health, education, living, and social environment. The result shows that the 31 provinces vary most in their health indexes, while their social environment indexes are roughly the same.

 

The Renmin University of China is an independent education and research body. When judging the development of various provinces, it did not allow its own interest to influence the outcome. Therefore the outcome is scientific, objective and fair, said Ji Baocheng, the president of Renmin University of China.