When Rob Davidson, expert in Events Management at Greenwich University in the United Kingdom, told his colleagues and friends that he had just attended an international conference held in Wuhan, Hubei province, they responded with three Ws - What? Where? Why?

Those who seldom travel to China would be hard pressed to locate Wuhan on a map of China, let alone a map of the world.

Cities with world renown have traditionally been those with historical relics, scenic spots or legendary histories.