Hangzhou leads Chinese cities in digital governance. [Photo/VCG]

Hangzhou has topped a list ranking 100 Chinese cities in terms of digital governance, according to a report issued on Aug 18.

The evaluation was conducted based on factors such as digitalization of infrastructure, public services, administrative services, and life services.

This is the first time Hangzhou has surpassed first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in the rankings. Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Suzhou, Dongguan and Xi'an were also among the top 10 on the list.

As the home of many internet giants, Hangzhou has in recent years scored many national firsts in digital innovations. They include allowing citizens to pay for bus and subway fares via a QR code, settling their medical bills with an e-social security card, establishing a cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone, and setting up an internet court.

In 2019, the city put into use City Brain, an intelligent system that can collect real-time data at road junctions and help alleviate traffic congestion. Another innovation was the smart system introduced to car parks that can automatically deduct parking fees from a driver's Alipay account based on the length of their stay.

Hangzhou has also applied its digital advantages in the fight against COVID-19. Its ideas on health codes and consumption coupons have been widely followed across the country.

The report added that Hangzhou has also helped to elevate the integration of digital governance technologies into surrounding cities. Cities from the Yangtze River Delta region, such as Nanjing, Ningbo, Hefei, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Jinhua, Wuxi, Jiaxing and Shaoxing, made the list as well.