Human capital will play a big role in ensuring the future success of China's rapidly rising cities, and the ability to attract and retain human capital is what's keeping cities at the top, a report released by consulting firm A.T. Kearney said on Thursday. 

The report, based on facts and public data involving more than 130 cities, said that competition for human capital and corporate investment among the world's leading cities remains fierce, and that emerging cities and regions are gaining ground on the longstanding leaders.

The report said the performance of Chinese cities continues to outpace that of cities in other regions. 

This year's study reveals that China's cities have maintained their momentum, with their average index scores growing at a rate three times faster than North American cities. In the outlook, the Chinese cities improved 3.4 times faster than European cities, the report said.

However, with urbanization rates slowing across the region, cities' development can no longer be simply about growth. 

The report said the next phase of development for Chinese cities needs to be citizen-centric. By focusing on improving their demographics and the personal well-being of their citizens, cities will be more likely to attract foreign corporate investment and human capital.