The Composing and Spatial Heterogeneity Patterns of Urban Agglomeration System in China

Urban agglomerations in China are the spatial and integrated polymer with different degree of development, hierarchy, administrative subjection relationship, cause of formations and location. They integrate with each other by the flow of substance, energy, information and knowledge. After investigating into that domestic and overseas synthetically, the authors find that first universally the urban agglomeration system are being formed, and second they are now taking part in the new international labor and regional division. Currently, urban agglomerations in China are in the elementary phase of development, but they are the most energetic and essential regions in the structure system of spatial economy, which are important for the whole economic system. The authors divide urban agglomerations of China into three hierarchies based on the model designed by correlative indexes. After thoroughly investigating the difference in the development characteristics of all urban agglomerations, the authors find that the heterogeneity is obvious and reasonable. In addition, the authors find that urban agglomerations are featured as asymmetric but regular distribution, heterogeneous inner-convergence, and spatial polarization. The authors believe that future study should focus on multi-dimensions, regularity, and the phase characteristics of development and emphasize on the globalization of the urban agglomerations systems in China.