Cultivated land is the principal land source for urban expansion. Recent large-scale urban expansion through the occupation of cultivated land has influenced regional food security and the realization of sustainable development goals. Based on data regarding the cultivated land occupied for urban construction in the Chengdu metropolitan area from 2000 to 2018, the spatio-temporal evolution of cultivated land occupied by urban expansion was analysed using the contribution index. Based on a model comparison, the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was used to explore the spatio-temporal pattern and evolution path of significant driving factors. The results demonstrate that (1) the total area of cultivated land occupied by urban expansion from 2000 to 2018 was 470.528 km² and mainly concentrated in the main urban area of Chengdu City and its surrounding districts and counties. The K value continued to decline from 93.23 to 37.48, indicating that the contribution of cultivated land in urban expansion is decreasing. (2) The GWR model, with a better fitting effect, demonstrates that the significant factors that influence the cultivated land occupied by urban expansion in the study area gradually shift from population aggregation factors to food safety and the proportion of non-farming population. (3) The evolution type of the driving force is mainly dominated by continuous change, and there is significant spatial heterogeneity in the evolution path. The population density → proportion of non-farm population → grain yield → comprehensive and proportion of cultivated land → per capita fixed asset investment → comprehensive → proportion of non-farm population were typical pathways. (4) Realizing the coordination between urban system structural optimization and cultivated land protection policies in the Chengdu metropolitan area is an important way to guarantee regional food and ecological security and promote the green and high-quality development of the metropolitan area. This study can promote coordination between urban expansion and cultivated land protection in metropolitan areas and provide a reference basis for sustainable economic and social development.

Element flow has gradually become an important method for studying urban spatial structure. This study examined 11 prefectural cities in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration; constructed a measurement model for information, traffic, migration, and composite networks; and analyzed the spatial structure of the urban network of the urban agglomeration through social network analysis and spatial visualization. The spatial structure of the composite flow network had Xi’an as the center and Xianyang, Baoji, Weinan and Tianshui as important nodes; Yuncheng, Linfen and Qingyang were the secondary nodes, radiating to the surrounding three cities. Element flow connection strength was unbalanced, and only three city pairs were in the first level of the composite flow network. Network density was low-middle, and the network connection was weak. Xi’an was the primary central city of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration with the strongest agglomeration and radiation capabilities; it could communicate with other cities without intermediate cities and was a bridge for other cities. Tongchuan, Pingliang, Shangluo, and Qingyang were at the edge of the urban agglomeration and had weak agglomeration, radiation, and intermediary capabilities. The inner cities of cohesive subgroups were closely related with weak connections between subgroups. The single-polarization of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration was serious, and the single-core spatial structure centered on Xi’an had limited impact on the urban agglomeration. Development of small and medium-sized cities should be strengthened in the future.

The measurement of territorial spatial conflict degrees and the identification of conflict areas are important issues in the field of regional development planning. The scientific and comprehensive recognition and measurement of territorial spatial utilization conflicts, from a multidimensional perspective, are significant for the optimization of reasonable land use and the realization of sustainable spatial development in various regions. In this study, the territorial spatial development and utilization conflicts in Yibin were measured and analyzed in terms of the development intensity, landscape pattern index, and spatial suitability from a multidimensional perspective of the “upper limit-structure-bottom line” perspective of territorial spaces. Certain corresponding development strategies were proposed, and some major conclusions could be drawn: (1) In terms of the development intensity, the developable intensity value for most townships in Yibin is lower than the minimum developable intensity value, indicating their fine development potential in the future. However, the current development intensity of a few townships is higher than the maximum developable intensity value. These townships can be divided into topographic restricted zones, urban concentrated zones, and natural reserves. (2) In terms of landscape conflict, areas with mild, moderate, and severe conflict in the southern region of Yibin decreased significantly from 1990 to 2018, and severe conflict areas in the middle and northern regions decreased; however, moderate and mild conflict areas increased. Potential ecological conflict risks to the landscape cannot be ignored. (3) For spatial suitability, urban spatial conflict areas, agricultural spatial conflict areas, urban–ecological spatial conflict areas, and agricultural–ecological spatial conflict areas were recognized according to a comparison of the utilization status and suitability assessment results. (4) According to estimation results of three types of conflicts, townships in Yibin were divided into eight types of conflicts: (1) conflict caused by improper urban planning to squeeze ecological spaces and replace agricultural spaces; (2) conflict caused by extensive and disordered agricultural development; (3) conflict controlled by the squeezing of ecological spaces; (4) conflict controlled by the encroachment of ecological spaces; (5) conflict caused by backward urbanization; (6) conflict caused by low-level agricultural development; (7) conflict caused by overall development hysteresis; and (8) conflict caused by a shortage of development space. This study has some theoretical and practical implications for a comprehensive understanding of territorial spatial development patterns and their degrees, the scientific recognition and trade-off of multidimensional territorial spatial utilization conflicts, and realizing sustainable development in certain regions.