The difference of economic function and the trends of industrial development in central cities along the Xijiang River

Abstract

The Xijiang River is an important link between Guangdong Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and a tie between its basin and the world. The zone which consists of 12 cities backing onto the main channel, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanning and Bose, etc., is an economic growing point and industry spreading origin of all the river basin. According to the nonagricultural population scale, these cities are divided into four grades. By analyzing seven indexes (GDP, nonagricultural population, gross values of industrial output, postal and telecommunication service scales, social commodity total volume of retail sales, resident saving balance, student sum in college), these cities are divided into four kinds of growing points, which show the different radiating function in different regions. The 12 cities, which have differed obviously in industry structure and the scale of the secondary & tertiary industry, are divided into three industry steps. By studying the difference of urban industrial function specialization in the 12 cities, the problems have been revealed in the urban industry structure developing. They are about the lower levels of the three industries, the lack of coordination with city status in the development of specialized departments, the similarity of the industry structure and the specialized departments, and so on. Based on the pattern of urban industry structure developing and the theory of regional economic step transferring, some suggestions have been discussed. They include the trends of cities’ industry developing, the change and improvement of the percentage of the three industries, the adjustment and amendment of the region and industry structure, and the labor division and location of cities manufacture.