To become a municipality directly under the central government, there are three conditions. First, the regional layout should be reasonable, and the new municipality directly under the central government should be the first central city in a large region with enough room for development. There should be a certain distance from the original municipality directly under the central government, otherwise it will waste resources, increase internal friction, offset and weaken the radiation function of the central city. Guangzhou is fully qualified. Second, the population should not be less than 2 million, otherwise it is difficult to form the status of regional political center, which is the basis of a city&;s economic and social benefits. Guangzhou has a dense population and numerous bustling scenes, which is of course qualified. Third, there should be strong economic strength, the total economic output should be higher than the national average of big cities, and the finance should be at least self-sufficient, which is also the requirement to ensure the central government&;s financial regulation and control ability. The economic strength of Guangzhou ranks third in China, which is superior to that of Chongqing. However, Guangzhou has not become a municipality directly under the Central Government, which actually involves the question that Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong. Guangzhou is a provincial capital city. If it is upgraded, it will involve the relocation of the provincial capital, which is difficult and costly. Dai Junliang, director of the Division of Geographical Names of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, pointed out that the establishment of municipalities directly under the Central Government in the Pearl River Delta region should be cautious. At present, the reason why the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration is better coordinated than the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is mainly due to the Greater Guangdong system. As the hub of the Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou will naturally be more cautious. Therefore, Guangzhou has not become a municipality directly under the central government, not that Guangzhou is inferior to Chongqing, but that Guangzhou still has her mission.
Read the full text