Tianhe, a district of Guangzhou city, was included in the 2023 list of China's happiest districts.

This announcement was released on Nov 24 at the Happy Cities of China Forum 2023, which was held in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

This is the fourth time that Tianhe has won this national honor.

Tianhe is awarded the title of "China's happiest district" at the Happy Cities of China Forum 2023. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

Established in 1985, Tianhe has developed into a district that ranks third among the top 100 Chinese districts. Its GDP reached 621.57 billion yuan ($91.57 billion) in 2022, ranking first in Guangzhou for the 16th consecutive year, said Chen Jiameng, the district's Party secretary, at the forum.

Tianhe has fostered industries that have a value of more than 100 billion yuan, such as finance, new-generation information technology, high-end professional services, and modern urban industries.

Twenty-six colleges and universities, 43 scientific research institutions at or above the provincial level, 10 national key laboratories, as well as over 300,000 innovative talents currently reside in Tianhe. This contributes to the district's goal of developing into an innovative highland in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

There are now 536,000 Tianhe-based enterprises thanks to its efforts in creating a market-oriented and law-based international business environment.

Chen Jiameng, Tianhe's Party secretary, tells the story of "Happy Tianhe" at the forum. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

The district has been promoting green development, with all kinds of green resources covering nearly one-third of its land area. Tianhe has also been accelerating the construction of the South China National Botanical Garden and the district's a four-tier park system. This system includes ecological parks, urban parks, community parks and pocket parks.

Since the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20) began, Tianhe has opened 50 new kindergartens, primary and middle schools, adding more than 40,000 places for students in the public education sector. During this same time period, the district has also introduced renowned schools like the Greater Bay Area School of Tsinghua University High School, and the Tianhe campus of Guangzhou Zhixin High School.

Additionally, in a bid to create a 15-minute community health service circle, the number of medical and healthcare institutions in the district has doubled in recent years.

The central urban area of Tianhe is filled with greenery. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

Traditional culture and modern advancements integrate perfectly in Tianhe. The Guangzhou Qiqiao Cultural Festival, the Chebei International Dragon Boat Cultural Festival, the Cultural Creative Industry Conference, and Tianhe Summit are just some of the district's featured cultural brands. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]