Understanding China's Metropolitan Area Development in the Context of Regional Governance Evolution

Based on a literature review and policy analysis, this study analyzes the evolution of the regional governance regime in China since its reform and opening-up, and examines how this process has influenced the development of contemporary metropolitan areas. Multiscale spatial development strategies and regional governance regimes have been formed because of different development goals and visions in regional development. As a crucial mediating scale in China's regional governance, the construction of metropolitan areas has exhibited notable variation in governance subjects, structures, and developmental effects during different development phases. From the perspective of spatial governance goals, factor allocation means, and their scalar characteristics, this study categorizes China's regional governance into four periods since the reform and opening-up in the late 1970s: i) regional economic growth driven by development zones (1978-1993), ii) regional resource reallocation through administrative adjustment (1994-2000), iii) regional coordinated development through the development of industrial parks and new national-level areas (2001-2015), and iv) multi-level governance of urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas (2016-present). Governance forms and functional characteristics varied across different periods, contributing to a shift in China's regional governance from a centralized planned economy to a multilevel regulatory governance model. As metropolitan areas have become a key strategy in the new type of urbanization process, their development at different stages has exhibited different governance structures and functional characteristics. This study systematically reviews the evolutionary characteristics and driving factors of the regional governance stages and compares the first three metropolitan areas approved by the central government: Nanjing, Chengdu, and Fuzhou. It was found that the differences in regional governance across these stages shaped the functional development and vision of metropolitan areas. The Nanjing metropolitan area is under a multilevel governance stage, representing developed regions, characterized by advanced cross-boundary cooperation and a well-established coordination system between the central city and surrounding cities and counties. In this model, multilevel governments and non-governmental organizations actively participate in cross-regional governance, with market integration playing a leading role in metropolitan development. This has resulted in multidimensional development, such as the cross-boundary development of infrastructure, industries, and ecological protection. The Chengdu metropolitan area remains in a hierarchical governance stage marked by uneven regional development between the central city and the surrounding cities and countries. Consequently, government-initiated projects, such as ecological protection and infrastructure development, have been implemented, but the lack of market actors has constrained the development of the industrial division of labor and cooperation. This region has yet to form a unified resource allocation platform, which limits the flow of resources and development factors across administrative boundaries. The Fuzhou metropolitan area is characterized by industrial collaboration initiatives through intercity cooperative zones, and its central city has a weak influence on the surrounding cities and counties. Support from the provincial government facilitated the establishment of cross-boundary cooperative parks; however, excessive reliance on administrative mechanisms hindered the emergence of market-driven mechanisms. The capacity for regional functional integration and cooperation was relatively weak compared to the Nanjing and Chengdu metropolitan areas. A comparative analysis of the three metropolitan areas reveals that more economically developed regions tend to focus on functional integration among different cities and counties. Meanwhile, regions with uneven economic development emphasize coordinated development and improve ad hoc cross-boundary development issues. The interaction of government and market actors leads to distinct forms of regional governance and impacts the realization of metropolitan area functions.