Paris, October 31 (Xinhua) - On the occasion of World City Day, UNESCO released a press release on the 31st, stating that 55 cities worldwide, including Chongqing and Chaozhou in China, have become new members of the Global Creative City Network, with a total of 350 cities selected worldwide. According to the latest released list, Chongqing has been selected as the "City of Design" and Chaozhou has been selected as the "City of Gastronomy". Newly selected cities also include Montreux, Switzerland, which was selected as the "Capital of Music" and "Capital of Media and Art", as well as Caen, France. These cities stand out due to their emphasis on culture and creativity in their development strategies, as well as innovative practices in people-oriented urban planning. UNESCO Director General Azoule stated on the same day that the cities selected for the Global Creative Cities Network are at the forefront in providing cultural opportunities and utilizing creativity to promote urban development and resilience. Previously, multiple cities in China had been selected for the UNESCO Global Creative City Network, including Beijing, the "City of Design", Hangzhou, the "City of Crafts and Folk Art", Qingdao, the "City of Film", and Shunde, the "City of Gastronomy". World City Day is the first international day promoted by the Chinese government at the United Nations. At the initiative of China, the 68th United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in 2013, deciding to designate October 31st as "World City Day" every year. The establishment of World City Day has raised the international community's attention to the global urbanization process and effectively promoted international cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development among countries. It is expected that by 2050, 68% of the global population will reside in urban areas. In 2004, the Global Creative Cities Network was launched under the advocacy of UNESCO, examining the creative capabilities of cities in seven fields: handicrafts and folk art, media art, design, film art, food culture, literature, and music. (New News Agency)