Recently, following Nanjing and Guangzhou, the land and space master plans of Shenzhen and Chengdu have been approved. Prior to this, the land and space master plans of the four municipalities directly under the central government of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing have been announced, and so far, the land and space master plans of eight cities in the country have been officially approved at the national level.
It is worth noting that these eight cities are all super or mega cities, they are either municipalities directly under the central government, or cities with separate planning and provincial capitals of various provinces, which not only shoulder the important task of leading and driving regional economic development, but also are indispensable key nodes in the country's macro strategic layout.
The reply of the State Council on the "Shenzhen Municipal Land and Space Master Plan (2021-2035)". The picture comes from the Chinese government website
On the whole, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have been given the positioning of "national" and even "international", but the focus is different; Other cities focus on national or regional positioning, and are entrusted with the important task of leading the development of metropolitan areas, urban agglomerations and even entire regions. Among them, Chongqing, Tianjin and Guangzhou have been given the positioning of "important central cities in the mainland", while Nanjing and Chengdu have been given the positioning of "important central cities in the eastern region" and "important central cities in the western region" respectively.
According to the analysis, this round of approval has further strengthened the functional positioning of the above-mentioned cities at the national level, optimized the spatial development pattern, and put forward clear requirements for cultivated land, ecology, and urban development, pointing out the direction for the development of these cities in the next 15 years.
"Multi-regulation in one"
Territorial spatial planning is an arrangement made in space and time for the development and protection of territorial space in a certain area. Li Zhi, an associate researcher at the Institute of Land Development and Regional Economy of the National Development and Reform Commission, has long followed the national new urbanization strategy and participated in the planning of a number of urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas, as well as the development strategy of megacities.
On September 20, 2018, the fourth meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensively Deepening Reform deliberated and adopted the "Opinions on the Unified Planning System to Better Play the Strategic Guiding Role of the National Development Plan", which put forward clear requirements for accelerating the strategic deployment of the construction of the unified planning system.
Li Zhi pointed out that on this basis, the mainland has established a "three-level and four-category" planning system guided by the national development plan, based on spatial planning, supported by special planning and regional planning, and composed of national, provincial, municipal and county plans. Among them, the national development plan mainly plays a leading and strategic guiding role; Spatial planning plays a fundamental role, mainly providing spatial guarantee for the implementation of major strategic tasks determined in the development plan, and providing guidance and constraints for the development and protection activities of infrastructure, urban construction, resources and energy, and ecological and environmental protection proposed in other plans.
In May 2019, the "Several Opinions on Establishing a Territorial Spatial Planning System and Supervising its Implementation" (hereinafter referred to as the "Several Opinions") was promulgated, further clarifying the "five levels and three categories" planning system for territorial spatial planning. According to the Opinions, provincial-level land and space plans, as well as the overall land and space plans of municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities specifically designated in the state plan, provincial capitals and cities designated by the State Council, need to be submitted to the State Council for approval.
Subsequently, with the release of the Outline of National Territorial Spatial Planning (2021-2035), the mainland's first national-level territorial spatial planning "multi-plan integration", in October 2022, the implementation of local territorial spatial master plans at all levels has been accelerated.
Li Zhi said that among the eight cities that have been approved, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing are the four municipalities directly under the central government, Nanjing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou are the provincial capitals, and Shenzhen is a city with separate planning, and its overall land and space plan is approved and implemented by the State Council. He mentioned that more than eighty percent of the country's prefecture-level cities and county-level cities have been approved by the provincial or municipal governments.
Li Zhi believes that the land and space planning of many cities that have been released is essentially the refinement of the national land and space planning outline and the land and space planning of the province where it is located at the city level, and it is also the first "multi-plan integration" land space master plan of each city.
He further analyzed that these land space master planning rules mainly show four major characteristics: first, strengthen the core functions to support and serve the implementation of major national strategies; Secondly, the plan strengthens the bottom-line control and lays a solid spatial foundation for safe development. Third, explore new paths for megacities to transform their development modes; Finally, the plan also enhances the radiation-driven function of super-large cities and promotes coordinated regional development.
From the perspective of strengthening core functions and supporting the implementation of major national strategies, cities such as Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Chongqing have respectively clarified the positioning of core urban functions and the pattern of land development and protection from the overall national strategies of serving and supporting the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle.
Shenzhen. Diagram / Diagram Worm Creativity
At the same time, the overall land and space planning of each city has also scientifically delineated the red line for the protection of cultivated land and permanent basic farmland, the red line for ecological protection, and the boundary for urban development, which are the insurmountable red lines for adjusting the economic structure, planning industrial development, and promoting urbanization.
It is worth noting that exploring new paths for the transformation of the development mode of megacities and megacities, and how to promote regional coordinated development, has become one of the key points of concern in the field of local land space planning at all levels.
In the list of eight cities that have been announced, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chengdu are megacities, while Nanjing is in the category of megacities. Relevant data show that the population of megacities accounts for 20.7% of the country, and the GDP accounts for more than 30% of the country.
Li Wenzhao, deputy dean of the Capital Institute of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of Chinese, said that in the spatial layout of China's urbanization, the expansion of the scale of megacities has basically been completed, and the overall scale of cities has basically matured and finalized. In this case, in order to achieve its own leapfrog, super megacities must work hard to transform their development mode and transform from scale expansion to high-quality development.
Li Zhi pointed out that for a long time, it has been difficult for regional economic development to enhance the radiation-driven function of super-large cities and solve the problems of "siphon effect" and "one city dominating". The overall land and space planning of each city approved by the State Council plans the key points of urban development from a larger scale and a wider range, so as to give full play to its leading and radiating role. For example, Shenzhen has strengthened its role in regional coordinated development from four aspects: strengthening the close cooperation between Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao, promoting the integrated development of cities in the Pearl River Delta, accelerating the construction of the Shenzhen metropolitan area, and building the Shenzhen-Shantou Special Cooperation Zone with high standards.
Differentiated positioning
The nature and function of the city have always been of vital strategic significance in territorial spatial planning, which not only determines the development direction and goals of the city, but also directly affects the economic vitality, resource allocation, spatial layout and quality of life of the city.
Li Zhi pointed out that the urban nature and functional positioning in the overall land and space planning of each city approved by the State Council not only accurately implement the requirements of major national strategies, but also highlight the differentiated comparative advantages of each city, reflecting the combination of "national needs" and "urban advantages". For example, Shenzhen, as a special economic zone, highlights the mission of building a pilot demonstration zone of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the plan once again clearly states that it is necessary to build a national innovative city; At the same time, in order to implement the national strategy of "maritime power", the plan clarifies that Shenzhen will strengthen the coordination of land and sea space and build a modern marine city.
He said that from the expression of relevant planning documents, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Yangtze River Delta region are all regions with a high degree of openness and strong economic vitality in the mainland, and have become the three core power sources leading the country's high-quality development, with the goal of building a world-class urban agglomeration. Among them, Tianjin and Guangzhou, as one of the core engines of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, are respectively positioned as "important central cities in the mainland". The leader of the Yangtze River Delta region is Shanghai, so Nanjing, as one of the central cities in the Yangtze River Delta region, is positioned as an "important central city in the eastern region". The Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle is the most densely populated, with the strongest industrial foundation, the strongest innovation ability, the broadest market space and the highest degree of openness in the western part of the mainland. Chongqing, the central government, has been identified as an "important central city in the mainland", while Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, has been positioned as an "important central city in the western region".
Taking Chengdu as an example, Zhou Jiang, a researcher at the Institute of Regional Economics of the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, told China News Weekly that the "Chengdu Land Space Master Plan (2021-2035)" released this time further optimizes Chengdu's urban functional positioning, optimizes the regional spatial development pattern, and gives full play to Chengdu's functions as a "polar core" city in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and the "backbone" city of Sichuan Province. Strengthen Chengdu's radiation to the surrounding areas, and focus on promoting the development of Chengdu, Deyang, Meishan, and Ziyang.
Aerial photograph of Chengdu High-tech South District. Diagram / Diagram Worm Creativity
According to Zhou Jiang's analysis, in recent years, Chengdu has encountered some challenges in the process of urban development, with the expansion of the city's scale and rapid population growth, the urban transportation network and infrastructure are facing great pressure; Second, with the acceleration of urbanization, ecological and environmental protection has become more complex, especially in terms of air quality and river management. In addition, Chengdu needs to further promote the optimization and upgrading of its industrial structure and continue to strengthen its core competitiveness in the field of scientific and technological innovation and high-end manufacturing.
He stressed that Chengdu is positioned as an important central city in the western region and an international comprehensive transportation hub city, which shows its key position in the development of the western region, and also highlights the strategic role of Chengdu in the national development pattern, especially as the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the development of the western region and the construction of the new land-sea corridor in the western region, the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and other major national strategic important intersections.
Zhou Jiang believes that through the preparation of the spatial plan, Chengdu can enhance its competitiveness in terms of comprehensively improving and optimizing the industrial structure, accelerating the construction of a perfect transportation network, strengthening ecological protection and improving livability. "Overall, Chengdu's land and space master plan provides a clear blueprint for the city's future development, especially driven by the positioning of core functions, Chengdu will further enhance its competitiveness in the region and even internationally." He said.
Li Zhi said that with the approval of the land space master plan of more megacities, their differentiated core functions will be further clarified. On the one hand, it is conducive to promoting the "slimming and fitness" of super-large and mega cities, taking into account the multiple needs of economy, life, ecology and security, actively solving the "big city disease", and achieving "physical fitness" through "slimming and shaping", so as to further enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of cities; On the other hand, it is conducive to giving full play to its radiation and driving role, driving the metropolitan area with the central city and leading the urban agglomeration with the metropolitan area, building a new pattern of coordinated development of large, medium and small cities, and cultivating a number of emerging power sources and growth poles leading high-quality development at the national level.
Author: Chen Shulian
Source: China News Weekly Editor: Li Yu