The conurbation strategic objective in the Changjiang River Delta and the development strategy study of Hangzhou as an international tourist city

Abstract

Since the 1950s, modern international cities have sprung up around the world and have become centers of world political and economic affairs. In the 1990s, major objectives of establishing international cities were put forward by more than forty central cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The main theme of the 21 st century development of central cities in China will be urban modernization, internationalization, and topicalization. This study was conducted with the intention of researching the regional development strategy for the Changjiang River Delta (CRD) conurbation, with focus on the strategic development and positioning of Hangzhou, the central city of Zhejiang Province. Results from international urban studies in China and abroad were incorporated into this article from the theoretical viewpoints of urban science, regional economics and tourism economics. The findings of this study could provide some important implications for future research and practice.