# Megalopolises in China

In China, a megalopolis (Chinese: 城市群; pinyin: Chéngshì Qún) is a designation by the government to promote the development of a group of cities through transportation and communication links.

## Conceptual history

The Economist Intelligence Unit in 2012 identified 13 megalopolises: Chang-Zhu-Tan (Greater Changsha), Chengdu, Chongqing, Greater Beijing i.e. Jing-Jin-Ji, Greater Shanghai (incl. Suzhou), Greater Xi'an, Greater Zhengzhou, Greater Guangzhou, Hefei economic circle (incl. Lu'an, Huainan, Chaohu), Shandong Peninsula, Greater Shenyang, Shenzhen and Wuhan.
As of 2018, there are nine officially approved megalopolises in China. In 2017, the National Development and Reform Commission stated that plans for six city clusters had been completed in 2016, five in 2017, with eight more forthcoming for a total of 19 city cluster plans by 2020. The new city clusters identified in 2017 were Lanzhou-Xining, Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos-Yulin, Guanzhong Plain, Western Taiwan Straits Economic Zone, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
The Thirteenth Five-Year Plan (covering 2016-2020) highlighted nineteen city clusters to be developed and strengthened pursuant to a geographic layout referred to as two horizontals and three verticals (liang heng san zong).$^{:206}$ The highlighted clusters included the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River delta region, and the Greater Bay area.$^{:206}$ Development of these clusters includes establishing regional coordination mechanisms, sharing development costs and benefits, collaborative industrial development, and shared governance approaches to ecological issues and environmental protection.$^{:208}$

## Major Chinese megalopolises

| Megalopolises | Metropolitan areas | Cities | Area ( km$^2$) | Population | Date of approval |
| Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis | Shanghai, Nanjing Metropolitan Area, Hangzhou Metropolitan Area, Hefei Metropolitan Area, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area, Ningbo Metropolitan Area | Municipality: Shanghai Jiangsu: Nanjing, Wuxi, Changzhou, Suzhou, Nantong, Yancheng, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Taizhou Zhejiang: Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua, Zhoushan, Taizhou Anhui: Hefei, Wuhu, Ma'anshan, Tongling, Anqing, Chuzhou, Chizhou, Xuancheng | 350,000 | 240,000,000 (2020) | 22 May 2016 |
| Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area | Guangzhou-Foshan-Zhaoqing Metropolitan Area, Shenzhen-Dongguan-Huizhou Metropolitan Area, Zhuhai-Zhongshan-Jiangmen Metropolitan Area | Guangdong: Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Zhongshan SARs: Hong Kong, Macau | 56,000 | 70,000,000 (2017) | 18 February 2019 |
| Jing-Jin-Ji Megalopolis | Beijing Metropolitan Area, Tianjin Metropolitan Area | Municipalities: Beijing, Tianjin Hebei: Xiong'an New Area, Tangshan, Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Langfang, Zhangjiakou, Chengde, Cangzhou, Qinhuangdao, Xingtai, Handan, Hengshui | 217,100 | 130,000,000 | Pending approval |
| Shandong Peninsula Megalopolis | Jinan Metropolitan Area, Qingdao Metropolitan Area | Shandong: Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Zibo, Binzhou, Dongying, Tai'an, Weifang, Rizhao, Linyi | | 28,000,000 | Pending approval |
| Mid-Southern Liaoning Megalopolis | Shenyang Metropolitan Area, Dalian Metropolitan Area | Liaoning: Shenyang, Dalian, Benxi, Liaoyang, Anshan, Yingkou, Pulandian, Gaizhou | | 27,000,000 | Pending approval |
| Yangtze River Midstream Megalopolis | Wuhan Metropolitan Area, Circum-Changzhutan City Cluster, Circum-Poyang Lake City Cluster | Hubei: Wuhan, Huangshi, Ezhou, Huanggang, Xiaogan, Xianning, Xiantao, Qianjiang, Tianmen, Xiangyang, Yichang, Jinzhou Hunan: Changsha, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, Yueyang, Yiyang, Changde, Hengyang, Loudi Jiangxi: Nanchang, Jiujiang, Jingdezhen, Yingtan, Xinyu, Yichun, Pingxiang, Shangrao, Fuzhou, Ji'an | 317,000 | 121,000,000 (2014) | 26 March 2015 |
| Harbin-Changchun Megalopolis | Harbin Metropolitan Area, Changchun-Jilin Metropolitan Area | Heilongjiang: Harbin, Daqing, Qiqihar, Suihua, Mudanjiang Jilin: Changchun, Jilin, Siping, Liaoyuan, Songyuan, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture | 51,100 | 20,000,000 (2015) | 23 February 2016 |
| Chengyu Megalopolis | Chengdu Metropolitan Area, Chongqing Metropolitan Area | Municipality: Chongqing Sichuan: Chengdu, Leshan, Luzhou, Mianyang, Nanchong, Yibin, Meishan, Ziyang, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Zigong, Yongchuan, Dazhou, Guang'an | 185,000 | 90,940,000 (2014) | 12 April 2016 |
| Central Plain Megalopolis | Greater Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area | Henan: Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Luoyang, Nanyang, Shangqiu, Anyang, Xinxiang, Pingdingshan, Xuchang, Jiaozuo, Zhoukou, Xinyang, Zhumadian, Hebi, Puyang, Luohe, Sanmenxia, Jiyuan Shanxi: Changzhi, Jincheng, Yuncheng Hebei: Xingtai, Handan Shandong: Liaocheng, Heze Anhui: Huaibei, Bengbu, Suzhou, Fuyang, Bozhou | 287,000 | 24,170,000 | 28 December 2016 |
| Beibu Gulf Megalopolis | Nanning, Nanning-Beihai-Qinzhou-Fangchenggang, Zhanjiang-Maoming-Yangjiang, Haikou, Zhanjiang | Guangxi: Nanning, Beihai, Qinzhou, Fangchenggang, Yulin, Chongzuo Guangdong: Zhanjiang, Maoming, Yangjiang Hainan: Haikou, Zhangzhou, Dongfang, Chengmai, Lingao, Changjiang | 116,600 | 41,410,000 (2015) | 20 January 2017 |
| Guanzhong Plain Megalopolis | Greater Xi'an Metropolitan Area | Shaanxi: Xi'an, Baoji, Xianyang, Tongchuan, Weinan, Yangling Agricultural Hi-tech Industries Demonstration Zone, Shangluo (Shangzhou District, Luonan County, Danfeng County and Zhashui County) Shanxi: Yuncheng (Pinglu County and Yuanqu County excluded), Linyi (Yaodu District, Houma City, Xiangfen County, Huozhou, Quwo County, Yicheng County, Hongtong County and Fushan County) Gansu: Tianshui, Pingliang (Kongtong District, Huating County, Jingchuan County, Chongxin County and Lingtai County), downtown Qingyang | 107,100 | 38,630,000 (2016) | 9 January 2018 |
| Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos-Yulin Megalopolis | | Inner Mongolia: Hohhot, Baotou, Ordos Shaanxi: Yulin | 175,000 | 11,384,000 (2016) | 5 February 2018 |
| Lanzhou-Xining Megalopolis | Lanzhou-Baiyin Metropolitan Area, Xining-Haidong Metropolitan Area | Gansu: Lanzhou, Baiyin (Baiyin District, Pingchuan District, Jingyuan County, Jingtai County), Dingxi (Anding District, Longxi County, Weiyuan County, Lintao County), Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture (Linxia City, Dongxiang Autonomous County, Yongjing County, Jishishan Bonan, Dongxiang and Salar Autonomous County) Qinghai: Xining, Haidong, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Haiyan County), Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Gonghe County, Guide County, Guinan County), Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Tongren County, Jianzha County) | 97,500 | 11,930,000 (2016) | 22 February 2018 |