Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world. Its population in 2013 was 21,150,000. The city proper is the 3rd largest in the world. The city's history dates back three millennia. As the last of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Beijing has been the political center of the country for much of the past eight centuries. The city is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, parks and gardens, tombs, walls and gates, and its art treasures and universities have made it a center of culture .

Shenzhen is located in between Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It is a huge manufacturing center that has sprung up overnight. Feeding off the success of its neighbors, it is ranked fourth in China for industrial output, manufacturing higher technology products than Guangzhou in general, and with several of its own successful sunrise companies.

Hangzhou is known in history firstly as an imperial landscaped retreat for the emperors of Beijing, but it was also capital of China during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279). Prosperous Hangzhou maintains its imperial past in the West Lake suburbs. See West Lake, Peak Flown From Afar, Lingyin Temple, the Song Dynasty Town, the Grand Canal (linking Hangzhou with Beijing), and the National Tea Museum.

Shanghai is the undisputed largest and wealthiest city in China. With a name synonymous with world trade, Shanghai has the largest and busiest port in terms of containers and cargo tonnage, a grand business district, two large airports (Pudong and Hongqiao), the world's fastest train (the Maglev), and a network of elevated highways.