The giant city-regions in China’s new urbanization

Abstract

This chapter sheds light on the role and type of the giant city-regions, and examines the planning efforts on these city-regions in China. By analyzing policy and planning documents about new urbanization, national spatial planning, cityregion and city master plans, the chapter reveals that these urban giants are expected to serve as spatial platforms of China’s national development. There are four basic types categorized by a two by two table featuring both dimensions of spatial extent (i.e., multiple vs single provincial unit involvement) and main forces of formation (i.e., passive outcome vs active intervention). Though planning efforts are discernible at three levels (framework/economic ..