Mega-city regions (MCRs) represent Asia's strong economic growth in the 21st century, with so-called super-MCRs (sMCRs) emerging as a result of continued urbanisation. This study examines suburbanisation and functional specialisation in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in China and uses principal component analysis and change scores to analyse the socio-economic patterns from 2000 to 2020. The results show that the PRD has transitioned from a centralised development to a polycentric sMCR with a specialised division of labour and increasing cooperation between cities.

Yan, S., Feng, P., & Growe, A. (2024). Regional metropolization in super mega city regions: Suburbanization and functional specialization in the Pearl River Delta. Transactions in Planning and Urban Research, Article 27541223241295292. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/27541223241295292 .