Guangzhou, 2 November 2017 - The Global Urban Competitiveness Report 2017-2018 –Housing Prices: changing World Cities has been launched.

The launch was done on 30 October, 2017, during the World Cities Day - Global Urban Competitiveness Forum which was convened at Baiyun International Conference Center in Guangzhou. The National Academy of Economic Strategy (NAES), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the UN–Habitat jointly released the report.

Professor Ni Pengfei, Director of Center for City and Competitiveness, CASS; Chief City Economist of CASS, UN-Habitat joint research group and Marco Kamiya, Coordinator of Urban Economy and Finance Branch of UN-Habitat worked collaboratively on the Report which took one year to compile.

The joint report also got contributions from renowned global urban competitiveness experts. The launch Forum was organized by the UN–Habitat, undertaken by Guangzhou Academy of Social Sciences and co-organized by Center for City and Competitiveness, CASS, Guangzhou Urban Strategy Academy, GASS and Guangzhou Radio Group. The reports’ first abstract has been published in the South China Morning Post and in the National Business Daily.

UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos, praised the efforts of CASS and the city of Guangzhou and announced continuous support to this programme that helps in better understanding of the dynamics of urbanization and competitiveness of cities across the globe.