On September 24, 2025, the "International Exchange Center Index (IECI) 2025" press conference was held at Tsinghua University. The China Institute for Development Planning at Tsinghua University (CIDP) and Deloitte China's Institute of International Exchange Centers jointly released the report.

The International Exchange Center Index was publicly released globally for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. This year marks the third release of the index. The research theme of this year focuses on "International Exchange Centers amid De-globalization: Navigating Opportunities and Challenges", delving into the challenges brought by factors such as international trade frictions and geopolitical risks to the development of international exchange center cities, and exploring how international metropolises can leverage their strong adaptability to seek new opportunities.

The report continues to use the relatively mature research framework of attractiveness, influence, and connectivity in its basic theoretical system, with a focus on expanding the analysis in the context of de-globalization. At the same time, the technical methods have been optimized, and the total number of cities under evaluation has been expanded to 50, further increasing the representation and proportion of cities from developing countries.

In this round of assessment, the top ten cities in the comprehensive ranking are: London, Paris, New York, Seoul, Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, San Francisco, and Bangkok, with San Francisco and Bangkok tied for the 10th place. Compared with the previous round of assessment, London, Paris, and New York continue to rank in the top three. Seoul, with its progress in technological innovation and business exchanges, has entered the top five for the first time, rising to the 4th place. Beijing, with improvements in its business environment, recovery of inbound tourism, technological innovation, and transportation connectivity, has risen one place to the 6th position. Shanghai, with the recovery of inbound tourism, economic development, and cultural education, has jumped from the 11th place in the previous round to the 8th place, entering the top ten for the first time. Singapore and San Francisco have maintained their rankings at the 5th and 10th places respectively. Hong Kong has dropped three places to the 7th place, Tokyo has fallen one place to the 9th place, and Madrid has dropped out of the top ten, falling to the 12th place.

Source:Beijing Foreign Affairs Office CGTN