City Network Evolution Characteristics of Smart Industry: Evidence from Yangtze River Delta, China

The dual-path model of industrial evolution and spatial progression has been widely acknowledged and incorporated into the strategic planning to promote the development of urban industries and regional collaborations.However,current research on inter-enter-prise city networks mainly focuses on the single sector of flows on all enterprise branches,such as product value chains and production factors,but neglects that of particular industry department.Built upon the new economic geography and city networks theory,this paper develops a methodological framework that focuses on the analysis of city network evolution characteristics of smart industry.Particu-larly,a conceptual model of smart industry enterprise-industry-city is proposed and then applied to a case study of smart industry in the Yangtze River Delta Region,China.Using enterprise supplier-customer data,a city network of smart industry is constructed and sub-sequently analyzed with the proposed model.Findings indicate that the smart industry network in Yangtze River Delta Region exhibits a hierarchical structure and the expansion of the network presents a small-world network characteristic.The study not only makes a meth-odological contribution for revealing the industrial and spatial evolution path of the current smart industry,but also provides empirical support for the formulation of new economic development policies focused on smart industries,demonstrating the role of city clusters as carriers of regional synergistic development.

Structural Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Carbon Emission Spatial Association Network:A Case Study of Yangtze River Delta City Cluster,China

City cluster is an effective platform for encouraging regionally coordinated development.Coordinated reduction of carbon emissions within city cluster via the spatial association network between cities can help coordinate the regional carbon emission management,realize sustainable development,and assist China in achieving the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.This paper applies the improved gravity model and social network analysis(SNA)to the study of spatial correlation of carbon emissions in city clusters and analyzes the structural characteristics of the spatial correlation network of carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD)city cluster in China and its influencing factors.The results demonstrate that:1)the spatial association of carbon emissions in the YRD city cluster exhibits a typical and complex multi-threaded network structure.The network association number and density show an upward trend,indicating closer spatial association between cities,but their values remain generally low.Meanwhile,the network hierarchy and network efficiency show a downward trend but remain high.2)The spatial association network of carbon emissions in the YRD city cluster shows an obvious‘core-edge’distribution pattern.The network is centered around Shanghai,Suzhou and Wuxi,all of which play the role of‘bridges’,while cities such as Zhoushan,Ma'anshan,Tongling and other cities characterized by the remote location,single transportation mode or lower economic level are positioned at the edge of the network.3)Geographic proximity,varying levels of economic development,different industrial structures,degrees of urbanization,levels of technological innovation,energy intensities and environmental regulation are important influencing factors on the spatial association of within the YRD city cluster.Finally,policy implications are provided from four aspects:government macro-control and market mechanism guidance,structural characteristics of the‘core-edge’network,reconfiguration and optimization of the spatial layout of the YRD city cluster,and the application of advanced technologies.

Regional accessibility of land traffic network in the Yangtze River Delta

In a given district, the accessibility of any point should be the synthetically evaluation of the internal and external accessibilities. Using MapX component and Delphi, the author presents an information system to calculate and analyze regional accessibility according to the shortest travel time, generating thus a mark diffusing figure. Based on land traffic network, this paper assesses the present and the future regional accessibilities of sixteen major cities in the Yangtze River Delta. The result shows that the regional accessibility of the Yangtze River Delta presents a fan with Shanghai as its core. The top two most accessible cities are Shanghai and Jiaxing, and the bottom two ones are Taizhou （Zhejiang province） and Nantong With the construction of Sutong Bridge, Hangzhouwan Bridge and Zhoushan Bridge, the regional internal accessibility of all cities will be improved. Especially for Shaoxing, Ningbo and Taizhou （Jiangsu province）, the regional internal accessibility will be decreased by one hour, and other cities will be shortened by about 25 minutes averagely. As the construction of Yangkou Harbor in Nantong, the regional external accessibility of the harbor cities in Jiangsu province will be speeded up by about one hour.

International Freight Forwarding Services Network in the Yangtze River Delta, 2005–2015: Patterns and Mechanisms

This study examined the spatio-temporal trajectories of the international freight forwarding service(IFFS) in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) and explored the driving mechanisms of the service. Based on a bipartite network projection from an IFFS firm-city data source, we mapped three IFFS networks in the YRD in 2005, 2010, and 2015. A range of statistical indicators were used to explore changes in the spatial patterns of the three networks. The underlying influence of marketization, globalization, decentralization, and integration was then explored. It was found that the connections between Shanghai and other nodal cities formed the backbones of these networks. The effects of a city's administrative level and provincial administrative borders were generally obvious. We found several specific spatial patterns associated with IFFS. For example, the four non-administrative centers of Ningbo, Suzhou, Lianyungang, and Nantong were the most connected cities and played the role of gateway cities. Furthermore, remarkable regional equalities were found regarding a city's IFFS network provision, with notable examples in the weakly connected areas of northern Jiangsu and southwestern Zhejiang. Finally, an analysis of the driving mechanisms demonstrated that IFFS network changes were highly sensitive to the influences of marketization and globalization, while regional integration played a lesser role in driving changes in IFFS networks.

Articulating China's Science and Technology:Knowledge Collaboration Networks Within and Beyond the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis in China

In this paper, we reconsider the defining but often overlooked ‘hinge' function of megalopolises by analyzing how megalopolises have articulated national and international urban systems in the context of a globalizing knowledge economy. Taking the case of China's Yangtze River Delta(YRD) region, we particularly focus on knowledge circulation within and beyond the YRD region by analyzing the pattern and process of knowledge collaboration at different geographical scales during the 2004–2014 period. Results show that the structure of scientific knowledge collaboration as reflected by co-publications has been strongest at the national scale whereas that of technological knowledge collaboration as measured by co-patents has been strongest at the global scale. Despite this difference, the structure of both scientific and technological knowledge collaboration has been functionally polycentric at the megalopolitan scale but become less so at the national and global scales. The ‘globally connected but locally disconnected' pattern of Shanghai's external knowledge collaboration suggests that the gateway role of the YRD megalopolis in promoting knowledge collaboration at different geographical scales will take time before it is fully realized.

Exploring Regional Innovation Growth Through A Network Approach:A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta Region,China

As the leading urban agglomeration in China,the Yangtze River Delta(YRD)is experiencing a factor-driven to innovationdriven transition.However,the dynamics of regional innovation growth are not yet fully understood.This paper combines the complex network methodology with spatial econometrics to disentangle the contributions of innovation endowments,innovation network flows,and innovation network positions to regional innovation growth,as well as their spatial spillover effects.The primary findings suggest that regional innovation growth results from the networked agglomeration economies,which is shaped by the interactions between agglomeration factors and network factors.Specifically,agglomeration factors play a fundamental role in regional innovation growth.In contrast,network factors,such as the network flows and network positions,may contribute to new path creation by promoting access to external innovation resources.Additionally,the institutional factors show multiplexity in fostering regional innovation patterns.Such findings indicate that the YRD region should shift the innovation growth pattern from competitive involution to mutually beneficial cooperation to reduce regional disparities.In this regard,the institutional capacity of organizing network flows and fostering reciprocal inter-city partnerships has become increasingly critical for promoting sustainable innovation and regional development.

Mapping Urban Networks through Inter-Firm Linkages: The Case of Listed Companies in Yangtze River Delta, China

Recently, literature on urban network research from the perspective of ?rm networks has been increasing. This research mainly used data from the headquarters and branches of all 2581 listed manufacturing companies in the Yangtze River Delta from 1990 to 2017, and studied the urban network through an interlocking network model that quantifies the links between enterprises. The results showed that the spatial distribution of listed manufacturing industries in the Yangtze River Delta was relatively concentrated, and cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou were hot spots for the spatial distribution of listed manufacturing industries. However, Fuyang, Suqian, Chizhou, Lishui and other network edge cities were less distributed in manufacturing. The urban network of the Yangtze River Delta has significant hierarchical characteristics. The urban network of the Yangtze River Delta presents a multi-center network development mode with Shanghai as the center and Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Hefei as the sub-centers. Moreover, we found that the development of inter-city connections in the Yangtze River Delta was driven by network mechanisms of priority attachment and path dependence. The radiating capacity and agglomeration capacity of cities in the Yangtze River Delta have a strong polarization characteristic. The core cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Hefei have much higher network radiation capabilities than network aggregation capabilities. However, other non-core cities and network edge cities have weak network radiation capabilities, and mainly accept network radiation from core cities. It enriches the research of urban networks based on real inter-?rm connections, and provides ideas for the wider regional study and the combination of econometric techniques and social network analysis.

Impact of urban expansion on regional temperature change in the Yangtze River Delta

Based on non-radiance-calibrated DMSP/OLS nighttime light imagery from 1992 to 2003, urban land area statistical data, meteorological data and land surface temperature data retrieved by MODIS and NOAA/AVHRR data, the influence of urbanization on regional climatic trend cf temperature in the Yangtze River Delta （YRD） was analyzed. Conclusions are as follows： 1） There is a significant urbanization process from 1992 to 2003 in the YRD. Four city clusters of Nanjing-Zhenjiang-Yangzhou, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou Bay form a zigzag city belt. The increase rate of annual mean air temperature in city-belt is 0.28-0.44℃/10a from 1991 to 2005, which is far larger than that of non-city-belt. 2） The urban heat island （UHI） effect on regional mean air temperature in different seasons is summer〉autumn〉spring〉winter. 3） The UHI intensity and the urban total population logarithm are creditably correlated. 4） The UHI effect made the regional annual mean air temperature increased 0.072℃ from 1961 to 2005, of which 0.047℃ from 1991 to 2005, and the annual maximum air temperature increased 0.162℃, of which 0.083℃ from 1991 to 2005. All these indicating that the urban expansion in the YRD from 1991 to 2005 may be regarded as a serious climate signal.

Spatial Pattern and Heterogeneity of Port & Shipping Service Enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta,2002–2016

Using the ‘theoretical hypothesis—empirical study—case verification' method, this paper studies the spatial distribution and differentiation of port & shipping service enterprises(PSSE), as well as the variation process and underlying mechanism in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD). First, through inductive and deductive reasoning, we propose the following hypothesis: the regional distribution of different types of PSSE would show different spatial agglomeration-decentralization tendency; and there would be distinct regional differentiation in the industrial structure of the enterprises. Second, based on data obtained from enterprises, empirical research is conducted using Gini coefficient and spatial interpolation simulation methods. Results show that: 1) The overall enterprise distribution is decentralized within a city. 2) Different types of enterprises show different spatial agglomeration-decentralization tendencies. At 3000 m×3000 m grid scale, there is an agglomeration tendency along seas and rivers in the spatial distribution of enterprises. Shanghai has been identified consistently as a hot spot. 3) There is significant regional differentiation in 12 port cities with respect to the industrial structures of enterprises. Finally, the transportization and the increase of shipping service demand, the globalization and the expansion of multinational corporate activities, the hierarchization and the cooperation among port cities as well as the decentralization and the behavioral difference between the central and local states can be seen as main driving mechanism of the spatial phenomenon.

Urban Development and Water Management in the Yangtze River Delta

Throughout the history of the world, the development of the cities are related to the large water systems and the ocean. Where the river is abundant, the trade and regional centres could be formed. However, along with the prosperity of the water-cities, massive urban construction and environmental issues are enormous challenges in human process. A “scientific” urban planning, “Sponge City”, “Resilient City”, regional and urban culture and characteristics get more and more attention. The theme of “water and city” is clearly of great historical value and practical significance for the new resilient urban and water management strategies. The paper will summarize characteristics of geographical, historical, socio-cultural and political realms in metropolitan deltas and the historical governance as well as the recent developments in the Yangtze River Delta. It will introduce urban development and water management in four water cities: the canal and the city-Yangzhou, the river and the city-Nanjing, the lake and the city-Suzhou and the sea and the city-Shanghai. And then it will analyze the inner motivation of the interaction between water and cities in Yangtze River Delta. Furthermore, learning from successful historical experiences, the paper will provide suggestions for future sustainable urban development.

Materializing the “Urban Region” Concept by Integrating Ecological Networks and Central Place Theory

This paper attempts to integrate urban development and ecological conservation by applying and syncretizing the “urban region” concept from landscape ecology and the “city-region” concept from socioeconomics. First, various concepts pertaining to regions are discussed and then, the integration of ecological conservation and urban development on a regional scale is introduced. Subsequently, the Greater Pearl River Delta, in China, is used as a case study area and landscape ecology’s “urban region” concept is applied to produce a landscape spatial arrangement framework for an urban region. This framework is achieved through the following steps: conceiving the study area as a region that consists of two urban regions, arranging ecological conservation landscapes by establishing a regional ecological network within the urban-region rings;and formulating an urban development strategy using central place theory. The resulting landscape spatial arrangement solution includes natural protection areas that cover half of the study area, several key strategic urbanizing locations, and suggestions for the strict protection of certain agricultural land-use areas. We believe that this framework facilitates a feasible exploration of land-use planning on a regional scale, although more in-depth studies are required to refine this approach.

Functional Spatial Pattern of the Yangtze River Delta Region Based on the B2B E-Commerce Enterprise Network

With the increasing impact of globalization and informatization,the functional spatial pattern of the Yangtze River Delta,being reshaped by the new economy led by"Internet Plus,"is becoming more complicated.Hence,the study on the spatial pattern of e-commerce has much practical significance.Considering that B2 B e-commerce is a typical representative of the e-commerce economy currently in China,this paper analyzes the B2 B e-commerce enterprise network and explores whether the globalization and informatization processes have brought about a new spatial pattern in the Yangtze River Delta,to improve its spatial structure recognition.It is found that:(1)the status of Shanghai and Yiwu as two cores of the network has become prominent,while the status of Nanjing and Ningbo as traditional network centers has been weakened;(2)the regional axis has changed,with the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Yiwu axis rising and the traditional economic corridors such as the Shanghai-Nanjing axis and the Hangzhou-Ningbo axis being weakened;(3)the core area of the network connection has expanded,with the Jinhua-Yiwu region and the WenzhouTaizhou region becoming areas with close connections.

Inter-Firm Linkages:Distribution Network of Patent Consulting Businesses in Cities of the Yangtze River Delta

Corporate-based networks have provided an important lens for the understanding of regional configuration,but the sole focus on intrafirm linkages limited the revealing of the whole picture of a region.In this regard,this study centers at the inter-firm linkages in the Yangtze River Delta,and employs the data concerning business interactions between patent consulting companies and their clients to supplement the analysis on the urban network in the region.The results show that the local administrative power represented by provincial government is still decisive in determining the economic relations among enterprises.Provincial capital cities including Nanjing,Hangzhou,and Hefei occupy the center positions of the regional network,while Shanghai,due to its lack of administrative hinterland,fails to show significant centralized functions.A comparative analysis on urban network from multiple perspectives shows that although the Yangtze River Delta region presents the characteristics of a flat spatial structure in certain fields,significant administrative constraints are still observed in the advanced producer service functions,demonstrating a distinctive feature of market division in the region.By employing new data,this study introduces a new lens for the research on urban network,and,to a certain extent,achieves a breakthrough in the existing theoretical framework of related research.

Study on the City Form of the Yangtze River Delta Region

The Yangtze River Delta is a rapiddeveloping region in China. With fast economicgrowth, it is facing many environmental problems.This paper discusses the major problems and proposessome strategies for its future development.

长三角城市群生态安全的时空演变及影响因素

[目的]探究长三角城市群生态安全的变化状况,阐明长三角城市群生态安全的影响机制,进而为长三角城市群生态安全的调控和管理提供科学支撑。[方法]构建“健康-风险-服务”框架对2005—2020年长三角城市群的生态安全状况进行综合评价,并利用地理探测器和地理加权回归模型对其影响因素的相对重要性及空间异质性进行了深入探讨。[结果](1)2005—2020年长三角城市群的生态安全状况逐步改善,综合生态安全指数从0.528上升至0.568;空间上总体呈西高东低的格局,莫兰指数从0.292变化为0.322,区域间的空间相关性有所加强。(2)归一化植被指数是影响长三角城市群生态安全的主导因素,影响程度高达0.753,因素间交互作用比单一因素作用的影响程度更强。(3)各因素对长三角城市群生态安全的影响存在空间异质性,自然因素和景观因素对西南地区的影响较大,人类因素的影响集中于中部平原及东部沿海地区。[结论]长三角城市群生态安全水平呈整体向好态势,各城市间存在显著的空间效应,生态治理时需关注污染源防治、国土规划利用以及跨区域共保联治等方面,助力绿色美丽长三角建设。

创新企业的中微观集聚特征及邻近性机制研究——基于长三角地区4座典型城市的实证

在创新型经济重构空间使用逻辑的背景下,以解析城市内部创新要素的集聚和选址为出发点,构建创新企业集聚的邻近性框架,运用中小型创新企数据以及问卷调查数据,对长三角上海、南京、杭州、苏州4座典型的创新型城市进行研究,透视创新在空间利用上的新变化和新需求。研究得出以下结论:(1)集聚趋势。在我国内城更新与新城开发同步推进的城镇化语境下,创新企业的集聚兼具回归城区和近郊生长的双重动力,而且低密度、品质高的新兴园区与创新人才的需求形成了较好契合。(2)结构演化。创新企业的集聚结构与城市的空间转型、功能演化形成紧密互动。城市的区域职能分工、空间结构对企业的集聚有深刻影响。创新企业的集聚强度由中心向外围衰减,形成半径为1~3 km的核心-边缘结构。(3)区位逻辑。除政策、产业等传统因素外,创新企业不仅侧重于向“年轻集群”和应用导向的科研集群集聚,而且呈现出明确的生活指向,品质、氛围等软性因素成为不可忽视的高阶需求。

铁路网络联系对城市土地绿色利用效率的影响研究——以长三角地区为例

研究目的:探究铁路网络联系对城市土地绿色利用效率的影响及空间溢出效应,为依托铁路交通发展促进土地绿色利用效率提升提供科学依据。研究方法:超效率SBM模型,社会网络分析方法,空间面板模型。研究结果:(1)长三角城市铁路联系强度和土地绿色利用效率均呈现显著的增长趋势,土地绿色利用效率存在着较为明显的区域差异。(2)铁路联系强度的提高促进了本城市土地绿色利用效率的提升,与综合铁路联系相比,高铁联系对本城市土地绿色利用效率的提升作用更加明显。(3)铁路联系的加强促进了本城市产业结构合理化水平的提升和创新产出的增长,进而对土地绿色利用效率产生影响。高铁联系在促进本城市产业结构合理化水平提升和创新产出增长方面的作用更加明显。(4)城市对外铁路联系强度的提高产生了负向的空间溢出效应,抑制了邻近城市土地绿色利用效率的提升。研究结论:应充分发挥铁路建设在优化产业结构、促进创新方面的作用,依托铁路网络加强区域内经济技术合作、发挥各城市比较优势,以推动区域土地绿色利用效率的整体性提升。

基于网络演化视角的长三角集成电路产业合作创新绩效及影响因素研究

长三角是中国集成电路产业的主要集聚区,但针对该区域集成电路行业产学研多主体深度融合创新绩效的研究较为缺乏。为此,选取1995—2021年长三角集成电路产业的专利数据构建产业合作创新网络,采用ArcGIS可视化手段,通过拓扑结构分析、空间结构分析等方法梳理该网络演化的趋势特征,并基于2021年其中124家集成电路上市企业数据构建结构方程模型,分析长三角集成电路产业合作创新绩效的影响因素。结果表明:长三角集成电路产业合作创新网络的发展可划分为4个阶段,近年来形成了“核心-边缘”的创新网络,网络结构从松散逐渐紧密,网络内区域间联系逐步增强,与区域外主体空间合作的广度和深度不断扩大;企业在合作专利申请行为中的位置优势及经验优势不会影响企业的合作意愿;知识邻近性对关系邻近性和创新绩效的正向影响显著,通过创新绩效对合作创新成果产生中介效应,而且创新绩效对合作创新成果的正向影响显著;环境邻近性显著正向影响知识邻近性且显著负向影响创新绩效。因此,要进一步打造品牌化、国际化和数字化的长三角集成电路产业合作创新公共服务平台,提升长三角集成电路产业合作创新网络的能级。

长三角区域合作网络时空演化特征及动力机制研究

区域合作演化及动力是经济地理学者关注的热点议题,然而关于区域合作评价体系及动力机制探讨仍尚显不足。尤其缺乏从关系视角的综合研究。因此,文章以长三角区域41个城市为例,从关系视角构建了涵盖经济、创新、交通和生态4个维度的综合指标体系,并采用社会网络和QAP分析方法,揭示了长三角区域合作网络的演化特征及动力机制。研究发现:1)随着时间推移,长三角区域合作网络从“松散到紧密”“单中心到多中心”,趋于更加紧密和多中心化,形成“南京-上海-杭州”黄金三角核心节点,且对周边城市的辐射效应较强;2)地理邻近、制度邻近、认知邻近及合作基础显著影响区域合作水平;在高质量发展阶段,市场机制和企业主导作用显著,而在合作初期及快速深化阶段,政府支持和政策协调发挥了关键作用。

高铁网络发展下的站城空间与功能关系研究--以长三角地区为例

在过去近20年里,中国高铁网络化已成为城市和区域空间发展的重要推动力,各级政府也在不同层面上实施了高铁站区建设与城市空间协同发展策略。为此,建立站城空间及站城功能联系的分析框架,以长三角为案例区,探讨不同类型高铁站的站区发育及站城关系特征。结果表明,长三角地区高铁站城联系具有较大的分异特征,大多站区功能发育水平较低,区域中心城市和部分地级城市与其主要高铁站区之间相互强化发展,而其他高铁城市与站区之间功能联系有待提升,不同类型高铁站的站城功能联系发育水平受站区、城市和区域因素的交互影响。结合站区发展潜力、地区差异化的高铁出行需求、城市空间发展规划,建议提升站城交通服务质量、分类分级培育站区主导功能、优化站城功能联系。