By Li Fan, Yan Xiaoxu, Liu Lizi, Qin Jian & Liu Jia, Research Team on “Integration of Urban Agglomerations in China”, China Development Research Foundation

Research Report, No.41, 2021 (Total 6106) 2021-3-10

Abstract: Encouraged and supported by the top-level design of the Chinese government, the urban agglomeration space of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has been evolving from monocentric to polycentric layout. Based on the POI data of Amap, it is found that the enterprises in the Greater Bay Area are concentrated at the Shenzhen-Hong Kong side and the Guangzhou-Foshan side, with the density in the east bank higher than that in the west bank. It is estimated that in 2019, the intensity of inter-city connections in the Greater Bay Area is about 22 times that in 2000. The enterprises clustered in cities in the Greater Bay Area have certain differences and each city has a relatively unique competitive industry according to the location quotient. However, the Greater Bay Area still has some problems to be resolved, such as large differences in economic connections among cities, relatively weak transportation links between the east and the west bank, which affect the full potential of the radiation and driving force of core cities, as well as similar industrial structures among some cities. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, it is recommended that the Greater Bay Area should explore a high-standard regional development system, build a regional collaborative and innovative ecosystem, promote new expansion of regional transportation integration, to enhance efficient industrial collaboration within the Greater Bay Area.

Keywords: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, spatial structure of urban agglomerations, POI big data, economic connection intensity