Relieving Beijing’s Nonessential Capital Functions: Metropolitan Area Polycentricity for Sustainability

Yongheng Feng and Qing Lu ()
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Yongheng Feng: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Qing Lu: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-31

Abstract: This study explores the transformation of Beijing’s metropolitan commuting network resulting from the relief of the non-essential capital functions policy. The aim is to understand how this policy has contributed to the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration. Using China Unicom’s mobile signaling data from 2017 to 2021, we apply complex network analysis to quantify changes in commuting patterns from the perspectives of node importance, link strength, and community structure. The results indicate a shift from a monocentric to a polycentric network (e.g., in-degree centrality in areas outside Beijing increased by 49.5%; global network efficiency rose from 0.66 to 0.69), with peripheral employment centers gaining prominence while central districts lose their dominant position. However, administrative boundaries hinder full regional integration, as only select areas form interconnected clusters. These findings suggest that the policy supports optimized job-housing spatial structures, reduced urban congestion, and improved resource efficiency, contributing to sustainable urban development. The findings highlight the role of enhanced rail transit and governance in further strengthening connectivity and minimizing environmental impacts, while also providing empirical evidence for urban planning strategies aimed at fostering resource-efficient, low-waste metropolitan areas.

Keywords: commuting flow; spatial structure; polycentricity; network analysis; Beijing metropolitan area; sustainable governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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