江苏沿江地区的社会经济发展水平及城市化率都比较高,且交通通信发达,但中等城市偏多、小城市较少,规模等级不完善。 通过把沿江地区的城市作为一个体系研究,研究城市间的空间组合及其协调发展问题,并突出了城镇间的跨江联动发展具有重要意义。沿江城市带可构建成"三轴三组团"式的空间格局,即宁通、宁苏、苏通三条城镇发展轴,宁仪、三江、泰扬三个城镇发展组团,其中宁通、宁苏二条沿江发展轴是城市带的中心轴线,沿江地区的高等级公路、铁路及跨江大桥是构建沿江城市带空间格局的主要依托。根据各发展轴及发展组团的特征,构建出了各发展轴(组团)的发展战略及城市发展方向。城市带的构建要以市场运作为主,并辅以行政手段,把区域共同发展作为目的。

There are 6 cities directly administrated by the province and 15 counties in the city strap along Yangtze River of Jiangsu. These cities are Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Changzhou, Yangzhou, Taizhou and Nantong. The area is 24623 km² and the population is 24.01?10⁶, which are 25.9% and 30.2% of the whole province respectively. The previous researches were done from varied aspects, but no overall analysis about cities along Yangtze River was found. The level of social and economic development in city strap along Yangtze River is higher in Jiangsu, for instance per capita GDP, total government revenue and revenue from postal and telecommunication are 1.6, 1.5, 2 times to the average of the whole province. In the city strap along Yangtze River, there are 2 super cities-Nanjing and Changzhou, 4 big cities-Zhenjiang, Taizhou, Nantong and Yangzhou, 9 middle cities and 6 minor cities. The classification of city is not perfect yet. The main functions are very different in the 6 cities directly under the province, though some cities have similar functions, their development ways are not same yet. The spatial pattern of "three Axes and three Group" was constructed: 1) Ning-Tong(Nanjing-Nantong) cities and towns development axes, including: the northern part of Yangtze River in Nanjing, Yizheng, Yangzhou, Jiangdu, Taizhou, Taixing, Nantong, Rugao, Haimen and Qidong. Nantong should be developed into a super city of the axes, Yangzhou and Taizhou also be grown actively at the same time. The progress, Yangzhou joining into Nanjing Economic Circle and Taizhou and Nantong joining into Su-xi-chang(Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou) Circle, should be accelerated. 2) Ning-su(Nanjing-Suzhou) cities and towns development axes includes 9 cities,namely, Nanjing, Jurong, Zhenjiang, Danyang, Changzhou, Jiangyin, Zhangjiagang, Changshu and Taicang. The city space should be optimized in this zone.To pay attention to assorting with the other area of South Jiangsu, strenghtening the cooperation between the port and the inland, joining into Nanjing and Su-xi-chang Circle actively at the same time. 3) The Su-tong(Suzhou-Nantong) cities and towns development axes includes 5 cities: Rugao, Tongzhou, Nantong, Haimen, Changshu. The chief task is to improve the level of urbanization and the development axes should join into Shanghai Super Circle actively. 4) Ning-yi City Group is constituted by Nanjing and Yizheng. The cooperation of four chemical industry groups should be strengthen in order to become the most influential base of chemical industry in the world. 5) Tai-Yang(Taizhou-Yangzhong) City Group includes Taizhou, Taixing and Yangzhong. Group should accelerate the construction of river ports and port industry on the base of cooperation of Taizhou's downtown and Taixing's river line resources. High technological industry should be developed actively relying on the predominance of big industries in three cities. 6) Sanjiang City Group compose of jIangyin, jIngjiang and Zhangjiagang. To improve the level of economic and social development all-round, group should exert the function of Zhangjiagang as the opening base and the superiority of Jiangyin's transportation and the bridgehead of Jingjiang linking the south and north of Jiangsu. Although the level of urbanization of city strap along river is higher than other areas in Jiangsu Province, it still lags behind the economic and social development of along river areas. So its urbanization needs to be further accelerated, especially the north of the river whose level of urbanization is only 44.6%. The development of along river cities should exert its advantages, strengthen the function of cities, reinforce dividing and collaboration of industries among cities and put an end to contend blindly items in the process of the indraught of foreign capital. At the same time the programming and construction of infrastructure should be strengthened to ensure a good environment in the city.