陈宪：“五个新城”建设对上海都市圈意味着什么？ - 2021-05-11

Chen Xian
Shanghai’s 14th Five-Year Plan clearly points out that efforts should be made to accelerate the formation of a new spatial pattern of “central radiation, two wings, new city construction, and transformation of northern and southern areas”. Specifically, “new city construction” refers to building five new cities, namely Jiading, Songjiang, Qingpu, Fengxian and Nanhui, and turning them into independent comprehensive node cities with a catalytic role in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration. The significance of this undertaking lies not only in the new cities themselves. More importantly, it will consolidate the spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area. Now, I will share my thoughts with you in this regard from the perspective of the evolutionary logic of urbanization.
What is the difference between central city, metropolitan area and urban agglomeration?
Looking back at the progress of urbanization, we can see that towns emerged in the vast countryside at first, and then developed into small cities, big cities, central cities, metropolitan circles (also known as metropolitan areas) and urban agglomerations. In the past, urban and rural areas had opposite development directions, but now urbanization or the integration of urban and rural areas has gradually deepened. Then we can’t help but wonder what the difference between the concepts of central city, metropolitan area and urban agglomeration is.
Nowadays, central cities and metropolitan areas have become the two basic forms of urbanization. Metropolitan areas are the mainstay of urbanization in relatively developed areas such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Yangtze River Delta Region. Central cities are the main force of urbanization in relatively less developed areas such as are Chengdu-Chongqing, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River or Central China. This reflects the evolution of urbanization. An important difference between them is that the relationship between production factors and industries in a metropolitan area features radiation, spillover and division of labor, while that in a central city and surrounding areas highlights agglomeration, absorption and transfer.
Metropolitan area and urban agglomeration are two different concepts, but are often mixed by scholars and media, which is not conducive to understanding the spatial structure of urbanization or regional integration. On February 19, 2019, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the Guidelines on Cultivating and Developing Modern Metropolitan Areas, which defined the concepts of urban agglomeration and metropolitan area, and explained the relationship between the two. It pointed out that urban agglomeration as the main form of new-type urbanization is an important platform for supporting national economic growth, promoting regional coordinated development and participating in international competition and cooperation. Metropolitan area is an urban spatial form comprising a one-hour commuting circle centered on a megacity or a city with a strong catalytic role in the urban agglomeration. It can be seen that there are always two or more metropolitan areas in an urban agglomeration, and that they are the embodiment of urbanization in an urban agglomeration. It should be said that this interpretation is in line with international experience and China’s real situation, and has important reference value.
The Shanghai Metropolitan Area in the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region
Speaking of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area, we tend to associate it with the Yangtze River Delta, because it’s located in the core area of the region and is one of the several metropolitan areas in the region. Only by studying its spatial structure under the integrated development pattern of the Yangtze River Delta Region, can we understand its structural characteristics and corresponding status.
The Yangtze River Delta covers an area of 358,000 square kilometers, which is slightly larger than Germany (357,000 square kilometers) and a little smaller than Japan (378,000 square kilometers). In such a space with a large expanse and relatively high economic density, regional integration will undoubtedly show a multi-level structure. This is not only an objective reflection of physical and administrative geography, but is also closely related to economic development, ecological environment, social governance, transportation networks and the entire industrial chain. Therefore, with a correct understanding of the spatial levels of integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta region and their relationship with relevant factors, we can effectively help the region better fulfill its mission and value of high-quality integrated development faster.
The Yangtze River Delta comprises Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province and Anhui Province. One city and three provinces are the first level in the Yangtze River Delta’s spatial structure. The Outline of the Integrated Regional Development of the Yangtze River Delta (hereinafter referred to as the Outline) points out that, “The 27 cities including Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuxi, Changzhou, Suzhou, Nantong, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Yancheng, Taizhou in Jiangsu Province, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Jinhua, Zhoushan, Taizhou in Zhejiang Province, Hefei, Wuhu, Maanshan, Tongling, Anqing, Chuzhou, Chizhou and Xuancheng in Anhui Province will serve as the central area (225,000 square kilometers) to facilitate high-quality development of the Yangtze River Delta region.” The central area is the second level in the Yangtze River Delta’s spatial structure.
Some people may find that the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration Development Plan released in June 2016 defined 26 cities as parts of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, i.e. the spatial scope of the plan among the 27 ones mentioned above except Wenzhou. The Outline released in December 2019 replaces the “urban agglomeration” with “central area”. In my opinion, the change of expression is correct, because in the Yangtze River Delta, the most economically developed region of China, it’s inappropriate to regard 26 or 27 cities as an urban agglomeration whether from the concept of urban agglomeration or from the actual development situation.
The Outline clearly requires to “accelerate the integrated development of the metropolitan area” and reveals the third level in the Yangtze River Delta’s spatial structure by explaining the relationship between several metropolitan areas. It points out, “It’s important to promote the joint development of Shanghai, areas near Shanghai, and the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area, and build the Shanghai Metropolitan Area. It’s necessary to strengthen coordinated development of the Nanjing Metropolitan Area and Hefei Metropolitan Area to create a model for the coordinated development of eastern and central China. It’s crucial to promote close cooperation and division of labor between the Hangzhou Metropolitan Area and Ningbo Metropolitan Area to achieve integrated development of Hangzhou, Shaoxing and Ningbo.” The “Shanghai Metropolitan Area” refers to Shanghai Urban Agglomeration or Shanghai-Jiangsu (including Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou and Nantong) Urban Agglomeration. “The coordinated development of Nanjing Metropolitan Area and Hefei Metropolitan Area” represents Ningbo-Hefei Urban Agglomeration, and the “integrated development of Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Ningbo” means Hangzhou-Ningbo Urban Agglomeration. The Shanghai-Suzhou Urban Agglomeration, Ningbo-Hefei Urban Agglomeration and Hangzhou-Ningbo Urban Agglomeration are the third level in the Yangtze River Delta’s spatial structure. This is the level that we overlooked before. It’s an intermediate level that connects the upper and lower levels. The three urban agglomerations take an important position in the spatial structure of the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.
The Outline further requires, “The focus should be placed on integrated infrastructure and one card for all public services to accelerate the construction of Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou and Ningbo Metropolitan Areas, and enhance the integration of urban development in these areas. According to the above understanding of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area, there is another Shanghai Metropolitan Area comprising the one-hour commuting circle. Therefore, the fourth level in the Yangtze River Delta’s spatial structure is Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou and Ningbo Metropolitan Areas. The cities within each metropolitan area defined by administrative divisions are the fifth level in the Yangtze River Delta’s spatial structure.
It can be seen that the spatial structure of the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region includes the whole area, a central area, three urban agglomerations, six metropolitan areas and several cities. Among the five levels, metropolitan areas are at the core and serve as the basic carrier of scientific and technological innovation, industrial agglomeration, policy coordination and social governance. With continuous progress in urbanization, there will be new combinations of urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas in the Yangtze River Delta in this process, and more urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas may emerge. Among them, as a modern economic and social function zone, a metropolitan area usually spans across administrative divisions, metropolitan areas, and even urban agglomerations. Given the flexible boundaries, metropolitan areas that are interdependent on each other will become a norm.
The “3+1” circles of the spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area
Looking at the Shanghai Metropolitan Area in the spatial structure of the Yangtze River Delta, we can see the evolutionary logic from Shanghai Metropolitan Area to Shanghai-Suzhou Urban Agglomeration, and then to the world-class Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, i.e. “mega urban region” called by experts specialized in the study of global cities. In fact, there is another evolutionary logic from the central urban area of Shanghai to new cities in suburban areas, and then to the cities near Shanghai in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
In 1843, Shanghai was opened as a trading port. Over the next more than 100 years, its urban area has expanded continuously. In 1958, the State Council included ten counties, i.e. Shanghai County, Jiading County, Baoshan County, Chuansha County, Nanhui County, Fengxian County, Songjiang County, Jinshan County, Qingpu County and Chongming County in Jiangsu Province into Shanghai, which was a milestone in the expansion of the city’s jurisdiction. Through the adjustment of administrative divisions, the area under Shanghai’s jurisdiction increased tenfold. This not only helped Shanghai solve the spatial constraints in urban development, but also promoted the implementation of the central government’s new requirements for Shanghai’s development. More importantly, as an institutional arrangement for spatial expansion during the period of rapid urban development, the adjustment had a significant and long-term influence on the restructuring of urban space and reshaping of urban functions in Shanghai.
When the People’s Republic of China was founded, Shanghai’s administrative area was 636.18 square kilometers, and the central urban area was only 82.4 square kilometers. As of the end of 2019, Shanghai had 16 municipal districts, of which the central urban area was about 660 square kilometers, which is the core circle of Shanghai Metropolitan Area.
The areas outside the central urban area are suburbs. In March 2021, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government announced the Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Planning and Construction of New Cities during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period. It reconfirmed the proposal in the Shanghai City Master Plan (2017-2035) approved by the State Council that the five new cities located on important regional corridors and with a good development foundation, namely Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang, Fengxian and Nanhui, will be cultivated into comprehensive node cities with a catalytic role in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration. On this basis, it put forward specific opinions on speeding up the construction. Against the backdrop of continuous progress in urbanization, the planning goal is to build the five new cities into independent comprehensive node cities. Then, the new cities outside the central urban area form the second circle of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area.
Next, the third circle of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area comprises the areas near Shanghai outside its jurisdiction. As to which cities are in this circle, it depends on the location of the center of the circle, namely the location of Shanghai’s center. Historically, the center of a city used to be its commercial center. Later, it could be the administrative center. In the past few decades, the center of Shanghai that has taken shape objectively or been widely recognized is the People’s Square. Here, Shanghai No.1 Department Store is the mark of Shanghai’s commercial center, while Shanghai Municipal People’s Government is the mark of Shanghai’s administrative center. However, a city’s center may change. With increasing inter-city connectivity and increasing importance of its integration with surrounding areas, it has gradually become a trend that the transportation hub is a city’s center.
More importantly, Shanghai’s current new center should also be the center of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area, but People’s Square is located slightly in the east of Shanghai. To the east of Shanghai lies the estuary of the Yangtze River and Hangzhou Bay, which are sea areas, while in the northwest and southwest are Jiangsu and Zhejiang, which border Shanghai’s land area.
In recent years, Shanghai has built 1-million square meter Hongqiao Transportation Hub integrating an airport and a high-speed rail station, which is rarely seen in the world. In addition, there is an exhibition center covering an area of 1 million square meters, which is the place where the China International Import Expo is held, and a commercial building with a floorage of 1 million square meters, which is the CBD in the west of Shanghai. These three buildings jointly form Hongqiao Hub. Compared with People’s Square, Hongqiao Hub suits the central position of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area better. In February of this year, the State Council approved the Overall Plan on the Construction of Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub, which listed the guiding ideology, development goals, function layout and main tasks of the undertaking. It marked that Hongqiao International Opening-up Hub has become another important carrier for the implementation of the national strategy of integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, following the Lingang New Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, and Demonstration Zone of Green and Integrated Ecological Development of the Yangtze River Delta.
If the Shanghai Metropolitan Area takes Hongqiao Hub as the center and has a floorage of 10,000 square kilometers, it includes Shanghai’s districts and areas near Shanghai in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, namely Pinghu and Jiashan in Jiaxing, some of Suzhou’s municipal districts, Kunshan, Taicang and Changshu. If it takes Hongqiao Hub as the center with a radius of 80 kilometers, some of Jiaxing’s municipal districts, Haiyan, Tongzhou, Haimen and Qidong in Nantong will be added to its spatial scope. The cities near Shanghai, five new cities and the central urban area will jointly form the spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area.
A combination of the above contents reveals that the spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area has “3+1” circles. The “3” circles constitute an economic and social function zone. The first circle is the central or main urban area of 660 square kilometers. The second one that surrounds the main urban area connects the five new cities, namely Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang, Fengxian and Nanhui. The third one is the Shanghai Metropolitan Area, which is about Shanghai-Suzhou, Shanghai-Jiaxing and Shanghai-Nantong integration of urban development. Suzhou, Jiaxing and Nantong are the three prefecture-level cities bordering Shanghai on land or water. The “1” circle that refers to Shanghai’s urban area is an administrative division. In the future, the status and role of economic and social functional zone will gradually increase.
The top priority in consolidating the spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area
Next, I want to focus on the construction of five new cities, because it has become the top priority in consolidating the spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area at the current stage.
The new cities are an important part of the urban spatial structure of Shanghai, which is the first city to have proposed the concept and construction of new cities in China. In terms of the development history, the new cities have evolved from new urban areas, satellite cities and new cities in suburbs to comprehensive node cities.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Shanghai will build a spatial pattern of central radiation, two wings, new city construction, and transformation of northern and southern areas. Specifically, “central radiation” refer to the central urban area, “two wings” refer to Pudong and Hongqiao, “transformation of northern and southern areas” refers to Jinshan and Baoshan, and “new city construction” refers to the planning, construction and comprehensive empowerment of the five new cities, i.e. Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang Fengxian and Nanhui. in industrial development, public services, comprehensive transportation and environmental governance. Finally, five independent comprehensive node cities will emerge on the periphery of the central urban area. Apart from supplementing each other, the five new cities and the central urban can also complement and empower each other. More importantly, they are no longer limited to the positioning of suburban areas, but are very likely to become Shanghai’s sub-centers, connecting cities near Shanghai. As comprehensive node cities, the five new cities, together with cities near Shanghai and the central urban area, will form the spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area. Moreover, given their position in the spatial structure, promoting the construction of the five new cities is a top priority. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, efforts will be made to promote the planning and construction of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area and five new cities, as well as the revitalization of the central urban area simultaneously. Relevant implementation opinions and action plans on planning and construction, special work in key areas are being issued and put into practice one after another.
The Shanghai Metropolitan Area is an important spacial carrier for function construction
Since the middle of the 20th century, central cities in developed economies have successively undergone the dual transformation of industrial structure and spatial structure. The former mainly refers to the formation of an industrial structure dominated by the modern service industry, while the latter means the formation of a spatial structure featuring metropolitan circles (areas), namely central urban areas, new cities in suburbs, and surrounding cities based on the rail transit network. Despite of the contradictions in the process, the transformation is the result of mutual promotion between industrialization and urbanization, and a manifestation of the law of economic and social development. Therefore, a new structure will emerge in the end no matter how complex the contradictions are and how difficult the process is. The spatial structure of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area will set an example for urban transformation.
Since the Shanghai Metropolitan Area is the result of regional integration, its planning and construction need to fully break down administrative barriers, enhance policy coordination, and promote the free flow of production factors in a larger area. Hence, more emphasis is placed on function construction. The Shanghai Metropolitan Area is an important spacial carrier for Shanghai to strengthen functions of global resource allocation, original scientific and technological innovation, leading the development of high-end industry, and serving as a hub of opening up to the outside world.
Since the reform and opening up, the economic functions and behaviors of municipal governments in China have mainly focused on three aspects, namely project construction, system construction, and function construction. The priority and importance of the three vary according to different periods of time. As China enters a new stage of development, the importance of function construction has become increasingly prominent. however, this doesn’t mean that project construction and system construction are unimportant. According to the current development level and model of China’s economy, project construction will still be an important task for municipal governments to promote social and economic development, and meet people’s needs for a better life for a long period of time in the future. System construction is a natural choice to adapt to deepening reforms, let the market play the decisive role in allocating resources and make the government play its functions better. It’s mainly manifested in the reforms of streamlining administration and delegating power, improving regulation and upgrading services, as well as the improvement of the business environment. However, only project construction and system construction are not enough. Entering the stage of high-quality development, we must pay close attention to function construction with modern service industry and soft power as the mainstay. The task is proposed under the premise of urban economic development, especially the upgrading of industrial structure, specialized division of labor, and innovation-driven development. The development of the modern service industry or productive service industry has resulted in service functions of cities. The deepening of specialized division of labor has produced a huge demand for productive services, and the supply of such services has obvious characteristics of clusters. To pursue innovation-driven development, human capital, technology and entrepreneurship need to play a leading role, which in turn places high demands on cities’ soft power such as education, culture, governance, communication and think tanks. The combination of these factors has prompted megacities to make corresponding plans in function construction, and introduce specific policies and implementation measures.
As Shanghai has entered a new stage of development, strengthening functions is the only way to promote high-quality development. Only then can it continuously improve energy level and core competitiveness, become the central node of the domestic economic circulation and the strategic link between the domestic and international economic circulations, and better integrate into and serve the new development pattern. In this sense, the construction of five new cities and the development of the Shanghai Metropolitan Area are of great significance.
(Author: Chen Xian, Professor and Former Executive Dean of Antai College of Economics and Management, Professor Jiahua of China Institute for Urban Governance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University )