Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, is going to host this year's United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Council in October, according to the announcement made in Madrid on April 19.

Having previously hosted the G20 Hangzhou Summit, this internationally influential event will again gather nearly 1,000 government officials from over 60 countries into the city to discuss urban development in an increasingly internationalized and informationized world.

The UCLG is based in Barcelona, Spain, and is the largest local government organizations in the world. Its mission is to build a network for cities, local governments, and municipal associations to exchange ideas, strengthen cooperation, and deal with challenges. It has representatives from half of the world's population and draws members from every corner of the globe.

Hangzhou has been a member city of the UCLG since it was founded in 2004, and in 2016 it became a member of its World Council, the principal policy-making body.

This time, Hangzhou being selected as the host city for the 2017 UCLG World Council proved its global influence and popularity after the G20 Summit. At the recommendation conference in Madrid, Du Shigen, deputy director of Hangzhou's foreign affairs office, introduced the city to attendees and extended the expectations of further exchanges and cooperation. His address and advertising video played at the conference garnered warm applause.

It's anticipated that the development experience of Hangzhou will be inspiring for other cities in the world and through the upcoming World Council, officials can  brain storm on the future development of their cities with the help of the UCLG.

Qianjiang New Town in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, glimmers with thousands of lights at night. The new town is developing fast and is sometimes called "China's Manhattan." [Photo/IC]