Approved by the State Council, Zhongshan upgraded to prefecture-level city from county-level in January of 1988.

The city pattern, developmental prospect, economic aggregate, industry position and urban influence of Zhongshan city have fundamentally changed since then. In 2017, 30 years later, Zhongshan’s total output value reaches 350bn yuan, and the per capita gross output value is 99,400 yuan, among the top in Guangdong province. Rapid economic development leads to huge growth in citizens’ income. By the end of 2017, the per capita disposable income of Zhongshan residents exceeds 40,000 yuan for the first time and reaches 40,012 yuan, much higher than the national average (16,191 yuan). 

Since upgraded to prefecture-level city, Zhongshan has paid attention to environmental protection and livability construction in the pursuit of rapid economic and social development. In the past 30 years’ time, Zhongshan has been awarded many national honors and titles including “United Nation Habitat Scroll of Honor”, “The National Environmental Protection Exemplary City”, “National Civilized City”, “National Landscape Garden City”, “China Harmonious City”, “The National Health City” and etc, which reflect the ecological commitment and environmental fulfillment of 3 million Zhongshan citizens.

Zhongshan also sees tremendous changes in social constructions, in particular in terms of social management improvement, livable city building, society building, harmony and organized society building, people's livelihood improvement, people’s happiness level improvement, high effective and honest government development, and etc.