Chin. Geogra. Sci. 2018 Vol. 28 No. 2 pp. 183–201
Springer
Science Press
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-018-0938-6 www.springerlink.com/content/1002-0063
Received date: 2017-02-24; accepted date: 2017-06-22
Corresponding author: Ben DERUDDER. E-mail: ben.derudder@ugent.be
© Science Press, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, CAS and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Na-
ture 2018
Changing Connectivities of Chinese Cities in the World City Network,
2010–2016
Ben DERUDDER
1
, CAO Zhan
1,2
, LIU Xingjian
3
, SHEN Wei
4
, DAI Liang
1
, ZHANG Weiyang
1
, Freke CASET
1
,
Frank WITLOX
1
, Peter J. TAYLOR
5
(1. Department of Geography, Ghent University, Gent 9000, Belgium; 2. College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji Univer-
sity, Shanghai 20092, China; 3. Department of Urban Planning and Design, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
4. Department of Economics & Confucius Institute, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom; 5. School of the Built
and Natural Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle NE1 8ST, United Kingdom)
Abstract: Against the backdrop of the sizable economic growth of China in recent years, this paper uses the most recent data gathering
of the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) research network to update and supplement earlier research on the shifting global con-
nectivity of Chinese cities. The update consists of an evaluation of the connectivity of Chinese cities in 2016, the supplement of an
analysis of the changing position of Chinese cities in the world city network between 2010 and 2016. To this end, we build on a specifi-
cation of the world city network as an ‘interlocking network’ in which producer services firms play the crucial role in city network for-
mation. Information about the presence of leading producer services firms in cities in 2010 and 2016 is used as the input to a bipartite
network projection algorithm in order to measure cities’ network connectivity. The first set of results discusses the geographies of urban
connectivity in the world city network in 2016. The second set of results discusses standardized measures of change to reveal the major
dimensions of the transformations between 2010 and 2016. We find that, with the exception of Hong Kong, Macau and Kaohsiung of
Taiwan, all Chinese cities record connectivity gains. This wholesale rise in connectivity is nonetheless geographically uneven, with
above all Beijing, Chengdu/Chongqing and Changsha/Wuhan becoming more connected. We conclude that the wholesale rise of Chi-
nese cities in the world city network and their changing trajectories in the post-crisis era are embedded in shifting external and internal
political economies.
Keywords: world city network; producer services; changing connectivities; city; China
Citation: Ben DERUDDER, CAO Zhan, LIU Xingjian, SHEN Wei, DAI Liang, ZHANG Weiyang, Freke CASET, Frank WITLOX,
Peter J. TAYLOR, 2018. Changing Connectivities of Chinese Cities in the World City Network, 2010–2016. Chinese Geographical
Science, 28(2): 183–201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-018-0938-6
1 Introduction
Derudder et al. (2013a) analysed the geographies of the
global connectivity of major Chinese cities in 2010. To
this end, they built on a specification of the world city
network (WCN) as an ‘interlocking network’ in which
producer services firms play the crucial role in city net-
work formation (Taylor, 2001; Taylor et al., 2014; Tay-
lor & Derudder, 2016). In drawing on a theoretically
grounded measurement of WCN formation, they explic-
itly use Sassen’s (1991) seminal writings on the ‘global
city’ as the prime production site and market for finan-
cial, professional and creative services for corporate
business. Sassen (1991) emphasises that all major eco-
nomic agents have become increasingly dependent on
producer services such as financial services, accoun-
tancy, advertising, law, and management consultancy
offering customized knowledge, expertise and skills to
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