Recently the eastern coastal city of Yantai was awarded for being among the most dynamic cities in the Belt and Road and one of China's most beautiful and characteristic tourist destinations in 2016. The honor was given at a Beijing forum on civic achievements in the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the improvement of tourism.

Jointly organized by the People's Daily and Global Times, the forum was designed to investigate and evaluate Chinese cities' gains and losses in global competition in 2016, as well as their achievements in attracting investment, improving economic vitality and offering a livable urban environment.

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province in southwest China, and Kashgar in China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region were also listed as among the most dynamic cities in the Belt and Road. Hangzhou in Zhejiang province and Sanya city in Hainan province were included among China's most beautiful and characteristic tourist destinations in 2016.