Qingdao remains China's happiest city this year, according to the latest China Urban Competitiveness Ranking from Hong Kong-based China Institute of City Competitiveness (CICC).

Hangzhou, a city of Zhejiang Province, and Huizhou, a city in Guangdong Province, also retained their respective second- and third-place rankings in 2013.

The survey measured local residents of a given city on their overall sense of satisfaction, sense of belonging, life quality, natural environment, economy and social civilization.

Apart from the urban happiness ranking, CICC also published other Chinese city rankings based on a China City Competitiveness Index System, which includes hundreds of specific indexes covering economy, social, environment and culture.

The CICC was founded in 1998 in Hong Kong, and has released China City Competitiveness Rankings since 2002.

  Xinyang, Henan (河南信陽)

Score:89.59

Located in the most southern part of Henan Province, Xinyang sits between the north foot of Dabie Mountain and the upper reaches of Huaihe River. As one of the birth places of Chinese civilization, the city embraces a history of more than 8,000 years. With a beautiful landscape and comfortable living condition, Xinyang has been on the country's Top 10 Livable Cities list since 2009.