SCIENTIA GEOGRAPHICA SINICA ›› 2022, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (10): 1767-1777.doi: 10.13249/j.cnki.sgs.2022.10.009

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Spatial Evolution and Interaction Effects of Multi-scalar Urban Networks in the Yangtze River Delta

Gao Peng1(), Ning Yuemin2, He Dan2,3,4()   

  1. 1. Institute for Global Cities, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
    2. The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
    3. School of Urban & Regional Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
    4. Research Center for China Administrative Division, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
  • Received:2021-06-15 Revised:2021-12-22 Online:2022-10-30 Published:2022-10-20
  • Contact: He Dan E-mail:geogaopeng@163.com;hedan66@sina.com
  • Supported by:
    Key Project of Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of China Education Ministry(17JJD790007);Planning Project of Shanghai Philosophy and Social Science(2021WQQ001)

Abstract:

Based on the cross-national, cross-regional and regional enterprises’ nonlocal investment data in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and applying the social network analysis, panel vector auto regression and geographically weighted regression, this paper reveals the spatial evolution characteristics and interaction effects of the YRD’s multi-scalar urban networks. The results are obtained as follows: Global, national, and regional urban networks in the YRD are in the preliminary, steady, and perfect development stages. Besides, the YRD’s multi-scalar urban networks tend to be regionalized: On a global scale, a dense regional network is gradually forming between the YRD and East Asia, Western Europe, and North America; on a national scale, the connectivity between the YRD and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Pearl River Delta becomes closer; on a regional scale, there are closer economic ties within the provinces compared with trans-provincial economic ties. Additionally, the network spatial structure dominated by the Shanghai-Nanjing-Hefei-Hangzhou-Ningbo development corridor is forming. When it comes to the interaction effects of the YRD’s multi-scalar urban networks, there is a mutual promotion relationship between the global and national functional connectivity. The improvement of the city’s regional functional connectivity can promote its integration into the global and national urban networks. However, the improvement of the city’s global and national functional connectivity cannot promote its further integration into the YRD’s regional urban network, and its integration into the global urban network even has a significant inhibitory effect on the city’s regional functional connectivity. Furthermore, obvious spatial heterogeneity of interaction effects can be observed, which is coupled with regional economic development patterns.

Key words: enterprises’ nonlocal investment, multi-scalar urban networks, interaction effects, the Yangtze River Delta

CLC Number: 

  • F291