The award, held biennially, is aimed at recognizing and showcasing successful new public service practices or improved environmentally friendly systems into major cities and local governments either locally or overseas. It is a unique meritorious award, which was originally proposed by the former Mayor of Guangzhou, Wan Qingliang, and has become a joint cooperative initiative by Metropolis, the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the city of Guangzhou.