Four areas or cities in China - Shanghai, Suzhou, Zhejiang and Anhui - are expected to be world economic superpowers by 2020, which will bring major changes to China's regional economic structure, according to the Blue Book of City Competitiveness issued by the Research Center of City Competitiveness and the Research Institute of Finance and Economic Strategies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The Blue Book reports that with the rapid improvement in infrastructure, the commuting time to Shanghai from cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui has been significantly reduced. The diameter of the "two-hour economic circle'' continues to expand. By the year 2020, more than 40 cities will be within this two hour transport horizon, including the entire porvinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, as well as all of Anhui province except for its Haozhou area. By then all the cities in the Yangtze River Delta will be within reach of a one day trip to Shanghai.

The Blue Book uses GDP by region and GDP growth to measure the effectiveness and growth potential of economic development. The data from forty cities in the Yangtze River Delta from 2001 to 2010 shows a significant regional economic convergence during the 10 years. The gap between regions has been reduced. The level of comprehensive economic integration of the region continues to be reinforced.

The article is edited and translated from 城市竞争力蓝皮书:2020年沪苏浙皖将成世界超级经济区, source: Wenweipo