Core Viewpoint - The implementation of the "Action Plan" in 2025 will accelerate the integration of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, enhancing infrastructure connectivity, industrial collaboration, and public service sharing, thereby unlocking development dividends [1][2]. Infrastructure Connectivity - The Yangtze River Delta will focus on creating a unified infrastructure network, with significant progress in road and rail connectivity, including the completion of three previously disconnected roads and a 15% increase in road network density along the Ning-Hang Ecological Economic Belt [2]. - By October 2025, the total railway operating mileage in the Yangtze River Delta will exceed 15,000 kilometers, with high-speed rail mileage surpassing 7,700 kilometers, establishing a "one-hour commuting circle" among core cities [2]. Industrial Collaboration - The region will see a "cohesion effect" in industrial innovation, with over 300 billion yuan invested in cross-regional industrial cooperation projects [3]. - The Yangtze River Delta has formed 26 advanced manufacturing clusters, accounting for one-third of the national total, with leading industries such as integrated circuits, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence dominating the market [3]. Public Service Sharing - The region will enhance public service equality, with over 236,000 cross-province medical insurance settlements and 54 billion yuan in medical expenses settled by 2025 [4]. - The average PM2.5 concentration in the region will decrease by 8% year-on-year, reflecting significant improvements in ecological cooperation [4]. Economic Growth - The Yangtze River Delta contributes 24.6% of the national GDP with an average annual growth rate of 5.58% from 2018 to 2024, outperforming the national average [4][6]. - The number of "trillion-yuan cities" in the region has increased to nine, with Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou each surpassing 1 trillion yuan in GDP in the first half of the year [4]. Challenges and Opportunities - Despite significant economic advantages, the Yangtze River Delta faces challenges in matching the quality and collaborative efficiency of international urban agglomerations like New York and Tokyo [7][8]. - The region's urban agglomerations exhibit a "bite" relationship, but there is still a need for tighter connections and interactions among them to achieve comprehensive collaborative development [7]. Future Directions - In 2026, the focus will be on enhancing infrastructure efficiency, with planned investments exceeding 500 billion yuan in transportation projects [9]. - The industrial collaboration will shift from "project cooperation" to "ecological co-construction," aiming to establish a new pattern of innovation community [10]. - Legislative measures will be accelerated to address the lack of legal empowerment, with 3-5 local collaborative regulations planned to ensure unified and stable development [11].

Core Insights - The construction of a modern metropolitan area in the Yangtze River Delta is a priority for the "14th Five-Year Plan" and aims to enhance regional growth and global competitiveness [1][5] Group 1: Planning and Legislation - Effective planning is essential for building consensus and guiding actions within the metropolitan area, as seen in successful international examples like the Tokyo metropolitan area's planning initiated in 1958 [2] - Legislative measures are crucial for ensuring unified actions across regions, as demonstrated by France's Urban Planning Code and Japan's Capital Development Act, which provide legal frameworks for regional planning [2] Group 2: Mechanisms and Focus Areas - Establishing mechanisms for collaborative governance is necessary to avoid fragmentation and ensure continuous efforts in metropolitan development, with examples including the Geneva Lake Protection Committee and the New London Architecture Association [3] - Prioritizing key issues such as infrastructure, ecological protection, and public services is vital for achieving breakthroughs in metropolitan area development [3] Group 3: Current Challenges - The Yangtze River Delta metropolitan area has a significant scale but needs to enhance its radiating capabilities, as evidenced by Shanghai's GDP per capita being only 25% of New York's and 50% of Tokyo's [5][6] - While spatial structures are present, the functional networks require improvement, particularly in connectivity between key nodes and surrounding cities [5][6] - The existing planning guidance lacks effective transmission systems, necessitating higher-level empowerment for successful implementation [6] - Although there is a framework for mechanisms, collaborative efforts need to be strengthened, particularly through legislative support [6] Group 4: Action Plan - The action plan emphasizes establishing a multi-level work promotion mechanism, with specific responsibilities assigned to various committees and groups to enhance coordination and support for metropolitan development [7] - The plan outlines a three-year action cycle with annual evaluations and a comprehensive assessment every three years to ensure accountability and progress [7]

Core Viewpoint - The "Action Plan for Establishing and Improving the System and Mechanism for the Integrated Development of Urban Agglomerations" has been officially issued, aiming to enhance the integration level of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and promote it as a significant space unit for regional growth and global competition [1] Group 1: Specific Tasks and Measures - The Action Plan outlines 30 specific tasks focusing on achieving "seven ones" and strengthening organizational implementation across eight areas [2] - It emphasizes the establishment of a coordinated development "one group" through the construction of various innovation corridors and ecological economic belts, enhancing cooperation and interaction among urban agglomerations [2] - The plan also aims to create an interconnected infrastructure "one network" by improving road networks and integrating various rail systems to facilitate commuting within the urban agglomeration [2] Group 2: Market Environment and Cooperation - The Action Plan includes measures to optimize the market environment, promote high-level open cooperation, and enhance shared ecological protection and public services [3] - It emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts in creating a favorable market environment and shared resources among urban areas [3] Group 3: Potential and Efficiency Enhancement - The development of urban agglomerations is crucial for global city clusters, with the Yangtze River Delta facing challenges such as operational efficiency and the need for improved legislative and governance frameworks [4] - The plan aims to enhance spatial organization efficiency and release structural potential within the urban agglomeration, supporting the construction of a world-class city cluster [4] - Key strategies include better consensus on development, legislative support for unified actions, collaborative governance mechanisms, and focused breakthroughs in specific areas [4]