Chinese cities embrace polycentric development, reshaping urban landscapes and economies.
The study looked at how Chinese cities are developing with multiple job centers, both in their administrative regions and central areas. Most cities in China have more than one job center in their administrative regions, showing a trend towards polycentric development. However, when focusing on just the central urban areas, most cities still have one main job center. This matches what we see in Western cities, but there are some unique aspects in China. The structure of job centers in administrative regions is more varied than in urban areas, and the shift towards multiple job centers is linked to the spread of manufacturing industries. Suburban growth outside the main urban areas helps polycentric development in administrative regions but limits it in urban areas. Planning and government actions play a big role in shaping how Chinese cities grow.