Cities are the economic engines of the world. An estimated 56 percent of the global population lives in urban areas today, and the number is set to grow exponentially in the coming decades. China, which has added an astounding 650 million people to its cities in the last four decades, is bound to play a vital role in global urbanization.

As the United Nations observes World Cities Day (WCD) on October 31, it is worth noting that of the 20 fastest growing cities in the world today, seven are in China – Shanghai, Chongqing, Beijing, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Xi'an.