【招银研究|区域深度】新型城镇化系列之区域一体化篇——区域一体化的主线思路、建设进展及未来机遇

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of accelerating regional integration as a key component of China's new urbanization strategy, highlighting the need for collaborative development among large, medium, and small cities to achieve deeper integration [1][3]. Group 1: Regional Integration Progress - Regional integration in China has entered a new stage, with significant achievements in collaborative development among cities, yet still facing challenges in achieving deep integration [1][5]. - The focus is on modern urban agglomeration construction as a breakthrough point, emphasizing the transformation of large cities and the acceleration of small cities [5][9]. - The article outlines five dimensions for promoting integration: infrastructure, industrial development, ecological protection, market factors, and public services, driven by both "hard connectivity" and "soft connectivity" [1][13][14]. Group 2: Urban Agglomeration Development - Different urban agglomerations show varying progress in integration, with strong efforts in infrastructure and industrial collaboration, while market factors and public services lag behind [2][15]. - Infrastructure integration has made early progress, with transportation and livelihood systems improving, but there is still significant room for enhancement, particularly in new infrastructure [2][16]. - Industrial development is characterized by a layer-circular diffusion pattern, with a clear trend of industrial gradient transfer from core cities to surrounding areas [2][25]. Group 3: Ecological and Environmental Protection - Urban agglomerations are actively implementing green development concepts, achieving significant improvements in ecological governance, with waste treatment rates reaching 100% and sewage treatment rates at 98.84% [2][32]. - However, challenges remain, particularly in air quality, with many cities exceeding the WHO's PM2.5 guidelines [2][33]. - Collaborative environmental governance across administrative regions is becoming a primary focus, with initiatives in key areas like the Yangtze River Delta and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei [2][36]. Group 4: Market Factors and Public Services - The integration of market factors is still in its early exploratory stage, with barriers to the flow of resources and uneven distribution of public services across urban agglomerations [2][38][49]. - Public service integration is improving, with increased capacity in healthcare and education, but structural mismatches remain, particularly in densely populated areas [2][42][49]. - The article highlights the need for further focus on urgent public service demands, particularly in education, healthcare, and elderly care, to address existing gaps [2][50]. Group 5: Future Opportunities - The next five years are expected to see breakthroughs in regional integration, driven by major projects, mechanisms, and platforms [2][51]. - Major projects will continue to be a key focus, with significant investments in municipal infrastructure expected to exceed 8.1 trillion yuan from 2019 to 2023 [2][52]. - The establishment of smart governance systems and cross-regional collaboration mechanisms will be crucial for enhancing urban agglomeration integration [2][53].