Third-Party institution Competitiveness Think Tank and China Information Industry Association's Credit Committee jointly released the 2018 China Township Comprehensive Competitiveness Report a few days before in Beijing. A total of 31 towns in Guangdong Province are listed in the Top 100 Competitive Towns.

Xiaolan and Nanlang towns of Zhongshan rank 30th and 73rd respectively.

The report evaluates 11 indicators in economic scale, economic vitality and per capita level. It is worth noting that regional GDP was not included in the evaluation. More importance was attached to the comprehensive development potentials of these towns.

Xiaolan, for example, as a national key town, a central town of Guangdong Province and the center of northwest group of Zhongshan City, now has more than 40,000 market entities and has formed an industrial pattern enjoying all-round development in intelligent locks, new LED light sources, hardware products, electronic and audio appliances, food and beverages, chemical adhesives, clothing and shoes, printing and packaging, and so on.