On Dec 19, Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, was honored as the "City of the Year" for 2025 at the 2025 China Annual Awards Ceremony hosted by New Weekly.

Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

New Weekly praised Guiyang as an exceptionally unique city in China, describing it as a dual-faced entity: it is both a hardcore "China's Data Valley" and also a relaxed "coffee capital". The city operates vast server clusters and is filled with the rich aroma of street-side coffee. It possesses a rational data brain and pulses with the wild rhythms of road concerts. It seamlessly integrates the grand narrative of high technology into the minutiae of daily life. It captures the contrast between the hustle and bustle of fast-paced modern times and the leisure of savoring a cup of coffee with a slow song.

The "New Weekly Awards" are New Weekly's annual brand event, characterized by their focus on media perspectives, expert opinions, and emerging viewpoints. They highlight annual hot topics, guide cultural trends, and promote the evolution of new waves, establishing themselves as a distinctive media, ideas, and culture list. They have become one of the best indicators of mainstream innovation leadership in Chinese society.