One is "one core and two circle layers", and the other is "single-core radiation spatial structure." Recently, the Jiangsu provincial government formally approved and implemented two grand metropolitan area plans centered on Nanjing and Xuzhou. Prior to this, the "Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area Plan" had already begun implementation in May 2002 (this was one of the first metropolitan regional plans approved and implemented by the government in our country). With this, the "Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area Plan," "Nanjing Metropolitan Area Plan," and "Xuzhou Metropolitan Area Plan" have drawn an impressive urbanization blueprint for Jiangsu province. Three major metropolitan areas will rise within the provincial boundaries, forming a tripod stance that elevates the province's urbanization to new heights.
The previously implemented "Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area Plan" focused on addressing issues related to the multi-core, highly urbanized characteristics of the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou metropolitan area and development problems, emphasizing coordination as the key point. The plan prioritizes coordination goals and requirements within the metropolitan area's urban and regional development. It optimizes the regional urban spatial layout with Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou as the core, promoting a networked urban layout; it integrates the overall strength and competitiveness of the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou metropolitan area through the construction of cross-regional infrastructure and large backbone projects while respecting the interests of all parties involved in Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou and guiding the development and protection of urban and rural spaces.
The Nanjing Circle has one core and two circle layers, with its spatial development strategy focusing on strengthening the core, improving along the Yangtze River, and driving deeper inland. The planning scope includes the entire administrative regions of Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, Ma'anshan, Chuzhou, and Wuhu, southern Huai'an, and parts of Chaohu. In terms of spatial structure, the plan proposes to form "one core and two circle layers." One core includes the main city of Nanjing and the surrounding Nanjing Urban Development Zone within a radius of about 30 kilometers. The core circle layer includes the core city and areas within a 50-kilometer radius, including Nanjing, Yizheng, Jurong, Ma'anshan, Chuzhou, Lai'an, and Quanjiao. The close circle layer covers areas within approximately 100 kilometers from the core city center, such as Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, northern Wuhu, northern Chuzhou, southern Huai'an, and parts of Chaohu.
The Xuzhou Circle has a single-core radiating metropolitan structure, with its spatial development approach focusing on vigorously cultivating the core city, strengthening axis agglomeration development, guiding channel spot layouts, and achieving interaction between the core and hinterland. The scope includes Xuzhou and Suqian cities and their counties in Jiangsu Province, Suzhou and Huaibei cities and their counties in Anhui Province, Zaozhuang city and its counties in Shandong Province, Weishan county in Jining city, and Yongcheng city in Shangqiu city, Henan Province. The planning scope also includes Lianyungang city and its counties in Jiangsu Province. In terms of spatial structure, the plan proposes to form a "single-core radiating" pattern.
Shared Platform
The "Nanjing Metropolitan Area Plan" outlines a beautiful blueprint for shared platforms, including natural gas, water supply, and electricity supply infrastructure. Combining the strategies of "West-to-East Gas Transmission" and "West-to-East Power Transmission" with Jiangsu's "North-to-South Power Transmission," the Nanjing Metropolitan Area will accelerate energy structure adjustments, actively promote and use high-quality, efficient clean energy. It ensures that residents in all directions of the metropolitan area can use piped natural gas. Additionally, five substations will be built around Nanjing, connecting with the East China and Jiangsu power grids via three directions, forming a "C"-shaped 500kV loop network structure around the core circle layer of the metropolitan area. Two east-west and two north-south power transmission channels will be constructed to receive electricity from North-to-South Power Transmission and West-to-East Power Transmission.
The plan proposes to build a provincial thermal power energy base in Xuzhou and a provincial nuclear power energy base in Lianyungang. Xuzhou region should limit the development of small thermal power plants, expand existing thermal power plants like Xuzhou Power Plant, Xutang Power Plant, and Pengcheng Power Plant in phases; Lianyungang region should construct Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in phases and expand the existing Xinhai Power Plant; reserve sites for new thermal power plants in Suqian to support local economy and industrial development; adjust the energy structure appropriately based on environmental requirements and the implementation of the "West-to-East Gas Transmission" pipeline and source, developing natural gas power generation. Through the construction or expansion of a series of substations and important transmission channels, the energy of this metropolitan area will not only meet local needs but also become the source of "North-to-South Power Transmission" for the entire province.
With rapid transportation as a bond
To promote the urbanization and regional integration process of the metropolitan area, the Nanjing Metropolitan Area will build infrastructure networks that meet overall development requirements. These networks cover transport channels, regional water supply, flood control and drainage, energy facilities, information facilities, etc., constructing jointly-built, jointly-managed, shared, and shared platforms to avoid duplicate construction and resource waste. The transportation framework design is especially distinctive. According to spatial organization requirements, the Nanjing Metropolitan Area will focus on building a riverine transportation corridor east-west, strengthening ties with Shanghai and the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou region; improve external radiation channels of central cities, enhancing connections between core cities and surrounding cities; integrate the regional functions of Nanjing stations to build regional and international logistics centers, enhancing radiation and leading capabilities. The core circle layer implements "public transportation," focusing on increasing road network density and accelerating the construction of some grade roads and ring lines; paying attention to the planning and construction of highway interchanges, enhancing communication between suburban clusters and urban rapid transit systems; handling the relationship between automobile traffic and urban spatial expansion, avoiding construction that destroys the existing land-use logic and prevents uncontrolled urban sprawl; under the condition of prioritizing public transportation, promoting the development of automobile traffic. The close circle layer implements "high-speed," perfecting the highway network between core cities and node cities to meet the "high-speed" requirements of transportation links in the tight circle layer of the metropolitan area. To enhance east-west transportation capacity and improve the north-south transportation network, the Xuzhou Metropolitan Area will utilize national-level transportation arteries, complementarily constructing corresponding facilities, building a "one horizontal and three vertical" transportation channel including the Xu-Lian line, Zao-Xu-Su line, Jing-Huai line, and coastal line. Focus on strengthening the construction of the Xu-Lian transportation channel, creating aggregation conditions, enhancing the comprehensive functions of the city, promoting the construction of the Xu-Lian economic belt and urban development axis. Accelerate the transformation and construction of transportation systems in urban functional clusters at the intersections of transportation channels in Xuzhou, Suqian-Xinyi, and Lianyungang, reasonably connecting internal and external transportation.
串起旅游“珍珠串”
南京都市圈的旅游资源非常丰富，目前已经成为全国七大旅游目的地之一。美中不足的是，这些资源缺乏整合，《南京都市圈规划》努力要做的就是把这些耀眼的“珍珠”串起来。《规划》提出，修建一系列配套旅游设施，串联各旅游名胜。南京、扬州、镇江、滁州等地将致力于改善圈内城市之间的快速旅游交通。按照规划蓝图，南京都市圈将成为国内首选的旅游胜地之一，远期将发展成世界级的旅游目的地。
徐州都市圈的旅游业现在还不是很发达，但极具成长性。在徐州都市圈近期规划中，首先提到的就是旅游规划。徐州圈旅游规划的最大特色在于提出了“两区三带”跨省游。“两区”指徐州楚汉文化、军事旅游核心区和连云港海滨旅游核心区；“三带”是指徐连休闲度假旅游带、枣徐宿文化旅游带、宿徐丰沛生态旅游带。围绕“两区三带”，将深入挖掘楚汉文化、军事文化、商务会展等旅游资源。
本报记者 胡春明 协调机制推进市场一体化
圈内的各城市要真正“捏”到一起，必须建立在统一市场的基础上，因此，《南京都市圈规划》将推行市场一体化作为区域协调的一个重要内容。
市场一体化，首先要有统一市场准入和市场退出机制。《规划》提出，圈内城市互相开放，在各城市协同的基础上，确定统一的市场准入 plan, eliminating segmented market barriers, and creating a fair competitive environment for both local and incoming enterprises. Gradually unify policies on land acquisition, taxation, and loans.
The plan also outlines several scenarios for future integrated markets: In the technology market, establish a cooperative network of scientific research and technological development centered in Nanjing, combined with technological information and trading networks, jointly promoting the development of high-tech industries; in the labor market, establish a network of labor demand and supply within the region, forming a unified labor and talent market, mutually cultivating and delivering urgently needed professional talents, achieving the sharing of high-level talents; in the property rights market, establish and improve regional property rights trading markets, expanding trading scales, unifying trading regulations, gradually forming an integrated regional market.
Notably, the "Xuzhou Metropolitan Area Plan" proposes that fully leveraging the role of industry associations will be an important path for the smooth implementation of the metropolitan area plan.
Industrial Development Beyond Administrative Barriers
Nanjing, as the premier city in the Nanjing Metropolitan Area, has already formed a strong radiating effect of its developed service sector within the circle. The plan confidently depicts a future scenario of mutual cooperation and benefit among services within the circle: establishing a unified capital market, achieving intercity check settlement within the circle; integrating educational talent resources within the metropolitan area, vigorously developing consulting industries; taking large-scale commercial enterprises as leaders, forming cross-regional comprehensive commercial groups; integrating logistics resources within the metropolitan area, forming regional or even national modern logistics centers.
In addition, the plan proposes the concept of transcending administrative barriers to develop six regional industrial clusters: relying on transportation facilities, soil and water resources advantages in the riverside area, integrating the development of the chemical industry along the riverside area within the metropolitan area, building an international petrochemical industry cluster; focusing on the two steel groups in Ma'anshan and Nanjing, building a steel industry cluster; depending on the cement industry advantages in Wuhu, Nanjing, and Zhenjiang, establishing a regional cement production group; using Nanjing, Zhenjiang, and Wuhu's industrial advantages in optoelectronics, microelectronics, etc., developing an optomechanical-electronic integration industry cluster; integrating the superior home appliance product manufacturing enterprises in Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Wuhu, and Chuzhou, forming a home appliance manufacturing industry cluster; relying on the automotive industry advantages in Nanjing, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, and Wuhu, building a vehicle manufacturing industry cluster.
The foundation and strength of the Xuzhou Metropolitan Area are relatively weak, so the plan highlights "phased advancement, playing to strengths, and key breakthroughs," defining it as a rapidly growing emerging industrialized area with agriculture as a solid foundation, basic industries and manufacturing as important supports, and comprehensive development of commerce, tourism, and modern services.
The plan also lays out the industries of several key cities: focusing on enhancing Xuzhou's function as the manufacturing center of the metropolitan area, strengthening the four pillar industries of engineering machinery, food processing, power, and chemicals; Lianyungang, as an important external window of the Xuzhou Metropolitan Area, should vigorously develop coastal industries and seaside tourism, actively strengthening the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and building materials pillar industries; Suqian, as the southern node of the metropolitan area, focuses on light industry as the dominant industry; Xinyi, as the eastern node, should accelerate the upgrading of traditional industries such as chemicals and food.
Initiating a New Urbanization Model
Jiangsu's metropolitan area construction leads the nation.
The implementation of the three major metropolitan area plans and constructions was proposed by the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government at the provincial urban work conference in July 2000. Approved by the State Council, the "Urban System Planning of Jiangsu Province" officially included the construction of three major metropolitan areas. By the end of 2002, Jiangsu's urbanization rate reached 44.7%, three years ahead of schedule approaching the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" target.
Director Huang Wei of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Construction said that the experience of developed countries like the United States and Japan has proven that strengthening metropolitan area construction plays a positive role in promoting the joint construction and sharing of regional infrastructure, effectively utilizing resources, promoting sustainable regional development, and enhancing the overall strength of the region. Jiangsu's proposal for the planning and construction of three major metropolitan areas is an important part of implementing the five major strategies of science and education revitalization, economic internationalization, urbanization, regional common development, and sustainable development. The metropolitan area planning is not just a regional spatial layout plan; it concerns the overall issues of the province's socio-economic development. Taking the previously implemented Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou metropolitan area as an example, the three cities are closely connected, with land areas nearly three times that of Shanghai, population equivalent to Shanghai, and actual utilization of foreign investment surpassing Shanghai. We cannot compare with Shanghai city by city, but if we take the construction of the metropolitan area as a path, accelerating the coordinated development of Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou, we can not only better accept Shanghai's radiation but also cultivate and utilize stronger inherent capabilities, mutually benefiting and competing with Shanghai, driving the development of central Jiangsu.
From the perspective of implementation, the metropolitan area planning has already brought changes to the lives of ordinary people. Based on the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou metropolitan area planning, the province has already done special planning for regional water supply. Originally, water supply was fragmented, with many small waterworks, low efficiency, inability to ensure water quality, extremely high water prices, and groundwater extraction due to the difficulty in finding intake points, causing continuous decline in groundwater levels and severe geological disasters. Now, the water supply in the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou region has achieved grid connection for 170 towns, with excellent protection of intake points, significantly improved water quality, and increased scale benefits reducing excessive groundwater extraction, leading to a comprehensive rise in groundwater levels in southern Jiangsu.
Huang Wei said that focusing on the planning and construction of metropolitan areas, Jiangsu has found a suitable urbanization model for its economic, social, humanistic, and natural conditions. During the implementation phase, they pay great attention to strengthening the regulatory and implementation intensity of planning. The province plans to introduce management measures for the implementation of the urban system planning to ensure the implementation of the plan. The next step in metropolitan area construction involves establishing and improving a mutually beneficial and coordinated urban development mechanism, promoting the orderly flow of various elements within the metropolitan area according to market economy laws and requirements, and realizing the joint construction and sharing of regional infrastructure. Specifically, green space planning will begin this year, and rail transit planning will be completed comprehensively this year. The regional water supply for Ning-Zhen-Yang-Tong-Tai will achieve planning this year and start implementation next year, and the regional water supply planning for northern Jiangsu will be launched in the second half of the year, with the full realization of the regional water supply for Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou by 2005.
By Chen Minqi, Zhu Jianguo, Wu Yi
[Summary] This article analyzes the ecological and environmental issues existing in the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Coordinating Region (SWCMCR) and puts forward the ecological and environmental ideology in the SWCMCR planning. It then discusses the content and mechanisms of establishing the spatial morphology of compact cities, open regions, and networked development.
[Keywords] Metropolitan Coordinating Region (MCR), ecology, environment, priority, planning
[Abstract] Through the analysis of the current problems in Suzhou, Wuxi & Changzhou Metropolitan Coordinating Region (SWCMCR), this paper points out the ecological and environmental ideology of the planning for SWCMCR. Then it gives suggestions on the contents and mechanisms of establishing the spatial morphology of compact cities, open regions, and networked development.
[Key words] metropolitan coordinating region (MCR); ecology; environment; priority; planning
With the promotion of economic globalization and the new economy, the adjustment of the world economic structure led by multinational corporations has accelerated. Developed countries' manufacturing and international capital have quickly transferred to China's eastern coastal areas, especially the Yangtze River Delta region, where the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou area faces excellent opportunities for accelerated development. Constructing the future space of Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou in the form of a metropolitan area has become an inevitable historical development. The ecological and environmental problems caused by spatial expansion and integration are becoming increasingly noticeable. Whether maintaining and improving the ecological and environmental quality of Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou has become the key to the success or failure of the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou metropolitan area and is the fundamental focus of the metropolitan area planning.
1. Ecological and Environmental Issues in the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan Area
As the economy develops at super speed, the consumption of ecological, environmental, and resource factors in Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou becomes more apparent in terms of quantity and quality damage.
1. Tightening Land Resources
Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou is located in a plain water network area, with relatively small land proportions, large water surface areas, few per capita arable lands, and a land development and utilization rate exceeding 90%. The current level of arable land cultivation is almost at its limit, making it difficult to significantly increase the usable space total. Backup resources are severely insufficient. However, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou has entered the acceleration period of urbanization development. The expansion of central cities, widespread construction of small towns, comprehensive development of development zones, and construction of major infrastructure have continuously increased the demand for space. Large amounts of agricultural land have been converted into construction land, resulting in a continuous reduction in land resources, increasingly evident shortages in both quantity and quality, and prominent supply-demand contradictions. On the other hand, uneconomic use of land is common, such as excessively