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The city-region has emerged as an important scale of state spatial strategy in China to promote equitable and sustainable development. This study investigates the spatial inequality of city-regions in the Yangtze River Valley (YRV) in terms of population, land, GDP and productivity, and examines changing patterns and factors of GDP per capita. We find that the spatial form of the YRV is typical of city-regions in China, where population density and productivity around mega-cities are much higher and decline from the low to the middle and upper reaches of the YRV. We also find that inequality across city-regions is high, and that most inequality is due to differences within city-regions. We find that the YRV is driven by capital-intensive and labour-intensive growth, with an emerging significance of productivity. Our analysis reveals the significance of institutional factors, including the processes of marketisation, globalisation, decentralisation and urbanisation in regional development. Moreover, the importance of the non-state sector in economic growth has been increasing, while the role of globalisation has been declining. 

This paper studies the relationships between network capabilities and innovation development in the context of two types of innovation networks: scientific knowledge networks (SKN) and technological knowledge networks (TKN). Focusing on two types of network capabilities, namely acquisition capability and control capability, the paper uses spatial regime models to compare the impacts of multiple factors on different spatial regimes. The main conclusions are the following. First, as regards SKN, the political-administrative hierarchy has shaped the spatial evolution of acquisition capacity, forming a pattern consisting of three dominant cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing), three subsidiary cities (Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Wuhan), and multiple lesser centers (Tianjin, Chengdu, Xi’an). Moreover, high control capability cities are mainly clustered in the coastal areas, specifically, one monocentric city (Beijing) and two polycentric metropolises (Shanghai, Wuhan). Second, for TKN, cities with high acquisition and control also are mainly found in coastal areas, with Shanghai and Beijing dominating network capabilities. The model’s analysis confirms the positive effect of network capabilities on innovation development, especially in scientific knowledge networks, and the driver for regional innovation development appears to have shifted from global pipeline (globalization) to local buzz (localized talents). This paper concludes with suggestions regarding network capabilities’ potential to reduce regional inequality and achieve sustainable development of regional economies. 

Urban spatial structure is a critical component of urban planning and development, and among the different urban spatial structure strategies, ‘polycentric mega-city region (PMR)’ has recently received great research and public policy interest in China. However, there is a lack of systematic understanding on the spatiality of PMR from a pluralistic perspective. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the spatiality of PMR in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) using city-level data on gross domestic product (GDP), population share, and urban income growth for the period 2000–2013. The results reveal that economically, the YRDUA is experiencing greater polycentricity, but in terms of social welfare, the region manifests growing monocentricity. We further find that the triple transition framework (marketization, urbanization, and decentralization) can greatly explain the observed patterns. Although the economic goals are accomplished with better spatial linkages and early economic development policies, inequality in spatial distribution of public services and the continuing legacy of central planning remain barriers for the YRDUA to emerge as a successful PMR. The results of this research offer meaningful insights on the impact of polycentric policies in the YRDUA and support policymakers in the implementation of appropriate urban spatial development strategies. 

This study investigated how urban cultural and economic tolerance affects urban innovative capacities based on China's prefecture‐level cities. Several tolerance indices, including ratios of migrants, rental housing, gay people, and private economies were introduced and the cities’ tolerance scores were measured using factor analysis. The results show that cities with higher cultural and economical tolerant scores were agglomerated in three metropolitan areas in China's southeastern coastal region. The spatial regression model demonstrates that urban cultural and economic tolerance increases urban innovation output and promotes innovation capacities. We also introduced the crime rate as an instrumental variable and found that the effect of tolerance on innovation remains robust. Our study suggests it is important for the Chinese government to establish an open and tolerant environment to attract migrants, creative artists, and entrepreneurs to foster urban vitality and improve urban innovative capacities.