Hangzhou is a significant cradle of Chinese civilization and one of the seven ancient capitals of China. As the capital of Zhejiang Province, it serves as the province’s economic, cultural, scientific, and educational hub. It is one of the first nationally recognized historical and cultural cities in China, and is home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites: the West Lake Cultural Landscape, the Grand Canal, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City. The 13th-century Italian traveler Marco Polo praised Hangzhou as “the finest and noblest in the world.” During the G20 Summit held in the city in 2016, President Xi Jinping positioned Hangzhou as “a historic and cultural city, an innovation hub, and a capital of eco-civilization.” The 19th Asian Games and the 4th Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou in 2023 were successfully concluded. Building on the momentum generated by these two sports events, Hangzhou is committed to elevating its urban capabilities, striving to build itself into a world-class, modern, socialist and international metropolis, and endeavoring to become a model city for Chinese modernization.

Hangzhou is home to 40 higher education institutions, including Zhejiang University and Westlake University, ranking 13th among global innovation clusters. It has been recognized as “the most attractive Chinese city in the eyes of foreign talents” for 15 consecutive years and has ranked first among Chinese cities for 23 consecutive years in the number of companies listed among the “Top 500 Chinese Private Enterprises.” Innovation giants and well-known enterprises such as Alibaba, Hikvision, Geely, and NetEase originated here, while emerging tech companies like the “Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou” have also been nurtured in the city. 

With a forest coverage rate of 65.74%, Hangzhou has been designated as an International Wetland City and is among the first batch of national pilot cities for carbon-peaking initiatives. It has also been recognized by UNESCO as a “model city for harmony between humanity and nature.” 

In 2025, Hangzhou achieved a gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.3011 trillion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 5.2%. By the end of 2024, the city has a permanent resident population of 12.624 million, with an urban population of 10.702 million and an urbanization rate of 84.8%. 

In recent years, Hangzhou has consistently been honored as one of China’s top 10 innovative cities and Forbes Best Commercial City in Chinese mainland. It has held the title of “China’s Happiest City” for 19 consecutive years.