China's three major megalopolises compared

(5) Manufacturing Radiation

The three major megalopolises account for 67.8 percent of China's exports in goods, with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Megalopolis making up 6.2 percent, the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis 32.7 percent, and the Pearl River Delta Megalopolis 28.8 percent. The three megalopolises, especially the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis and the Pearl River Delta, serve as a powerhouse of China's export, and are dubbed the "factory of the world."

Radiation is the index used to measure to what extent a city's certain function can be leveraged by others.

The China City Integrated Development Index draws on the radiation index to accurately and effectively analyze service capabilities of a city's industries.

The performance of the three major megalopolises can be gauged through observing the top 30 cities among the nation's 298 cities at prefecture level and above in terms of the number of Chinese companies making the Fortune Global 500 list.

Eleven cities in the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis make it into the top 30，including Shanghai in second place, Suzhou in fourth, Ningbo in seventh, Hangzhou in ninth, Wuxi in 14th, Jiaxing in 20th, Nanjing in 21st, Jinhua in 23rd, Shaoxing in 24th, Changzhou in 26th, and Nantong in 29th.

Eight cities in the Pearl River Delta Megalopolis make it into the top 30, including Shenzhen in first place, Dongguan in third, Foshan in fifth, Guangzhou in sixth, Huizhou in 11th, Zhongshan in 13th, Zhuhai in 19th, and Jiangmen in 30th.

Twenty-one cities in the three regions make the top 30. From 2000 to 2018, China's exports increased by tenfold to become the biggest exporter in the world. The three megalopolises have proven to be the biggest winner in the explosion of communication economy created by the global expansion of the manufacturing supplier chain.

(6) IT Industry Radiation

The three megalopolises house 71.8 percent of China's IT companies listed on the main boards, and 50.7 percent of China's IT workers.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Megalopolis accounts for 32.5 percent of the national IT companies listed on the main boards, the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis 24.8 percent, and the Pearl River Delta Megalopolis 14.5 percent.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Megalopolis accounts for 20.9 percent of the nation's IT workers, the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis 19.5 percent, and the Pearl River Delta Megalopolis 10.2 percent.

The performance of the three megalopolises can be measured by the top 30 cities among the nation's 298 cities at prefecture level and above in terms of the IT industry radiation.

Beijing in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Megalopolis takes the first spot in the top 30 cities.

Six cities in the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis make it into the top 30, including Shanghai in second, Hangzhou in fifth, Nanjing in sixth, Suzhou in 15th, Hefei in 21st, and Wuxi in 24th.

Three cities in the Pearl River Delta Megalopolis make the top 30, including Shenzhen in third, Guangzhou in seventh, and Zhuhai in 20th.

The three megalopolises have 10 cities in the top 30. It is noteworthy that many cities with strong manufacturing radiation fail to make it into the top 30 cities with strongest IT industry radiation.