本书为2021年国家出版基金项目。都市圈作为一种特殊的城市一区域发展类型，在当前我国发展阶段中具有重要的现实意义，推动都市圈发展不仅有助于大城市的发展，同时对我国小城市的发展具有重要的促进作用。都市圈战略的出现并逐步得到中央及地方政府的重视有其深刻的现实需求和必要性。
本书从城市经济的重要地位、城镇化进程、大城市人口政策、大小城市发展布局、区域经济发展新动力和交通网络等方面展开论述。同时还对中国都市圈发展战略形成的原因进行了分析，提出了一套研究都市圈发展的理论框架。进一步地运用该框架对我国九大都市圈展开了全面分析，对我国都市圈发展的经验及问题进行了归纳，最后提出未来我国都市圈发展战略的思路。

Chapter 1 Background, Connotation, and Definition of Metropolitan Area Strategy
1.1 Background of metropolitan area strategy
1.2 Necessity of metropolitan area strategy
1.3 Connotations of metropolitan areas
Chapter 2 The Evolution of China's Metropolitan Areas
2.1 The transformation and debate of China's spatial development strategy
2.2 The transformation and debate of the urban development strategy
2.3 How does the metropolitan area strategy come into being?
Chapter 3 Theoretical Basis and Inherent Logic of Metropolitan Area Formation
3.1 The theoretical basis for the formation of metropolitan area
3.2 The logic and stages of the spatial formation of metropolitan area
3.3 The main characteristics of the four stages of metropolitan area formation
Chapter 4 The Basic Information and Formation of Metropolitan Areas
4.1 The basic information of core cities in metropolitan areas
4.2 The comparison between core cities and peripheral cities inmetropolitan areas
4.3 The course of cooperation and development in China's metropolitan areas
4.4 The evaluation of the formation process of China's metropolitan areas
Chapter 5 A Comparative Analysis of the Development Characteristics of China's Metropolitan Areas
5.1 A comparison of the comprehensive strength of core cities in the nine metropolitan areas
5.2 A comparison of capacity for self-development of surrounding cities
5.3 The economic interaction between core cities and peripheral cities in metropolitan areas
Chapter 6 The Assessment of the Development Stages of the Nine Metropolitan Areas
6.1 An analysis of the regional economic geographical distribution pattern of the core cities in metropolitan areas
6.2 A comparison of the connection degree between core cities and their peripheral cities in the nine metropolitan areas
6.3 A comparison of the relationship between core cities and peripheral cities in the nine metropolitan areas
6.4 A comparison of industrial structure similarities between core cities and their peripheral cities in the nine metropolitan areas
6.5 The overall judgment on the stage of development of the nine metropolitan areas
Chapter 7 The Achievements, Problems, and Rationale for the Development Strategy of China's Metropolitan Areas
7.1 Six achievements of China's metropolitan area development strategy
7.2 Six problems in the development strategy of China'smetropolitan areas
7.3 Causes for problems encountered in the development of China's metropolitan areas
Chapter 8 Experiences from the Development of China's Metropolitan Areas
8.1 Keeping on economic development as the central task
8.2 Two guarantees: planning and system
8.3 Satisfying the requirements of time, space and interests
8.4 Giving a full rein to the initiative of the central government, local governments, enterprises, and residents
8.5 A good command of five starting points
Chapter 9 New Ideas and Practices of the CPC Central Committee on the Development of Metropolitan Areas Since the 18th
National Congress of the CPC
9.1 New ideas
9.2 New practices
Chapter 10 New Requirements for the New Normal of the Development Strategy of Metropolitan Area
10.1 Different requirements for the national regional economic strategy for metropolitan area development
10.2 The requirements of the national industrial development policy in terms of the industrial orientation of the nine metropolitan
areas
10.3 The spatial layout requirements with regards to metropolitan area development of national urban system development
planning
10.4 National population policy-oriented requirements for metropolitan area development
10.5 Requirements of the national ecological environment protection policy on relevant metropolitan areas
10.6 Requirements for national transportation planning on relevant metropolitan areas
Chapter 11 The Judgment, Direction and Ideas o