This paper uses Baidu migration data to obtain the intercity trips between cities in China. Taking intercity travel as a functional connection between cities, taking into account the internal and external intercity travel connections of urban agglomerations, an improved rank scale distribution method was used to quantitatively measure the form and function of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Chengdu-Chongqing, Central Plains, Guanzhong, and Harbin-Changchun urban agglomerations. It is found that, firstly, there are differences in the Functional Polycentricity presented by the internal and external connections of urban agglomerations, which are related to the economic development of urban agglomerations and central cities. Secondly, there are differences between Morphological Polycentricity and Functional Polycentricity of the eight urban agglomerations measured by the internal and external connections, indicating that the external connections have a significant impact. The internal and external connections of urban agglomerations are important functional connections of urban agglomerations. The study of urban agglomerations should not ignore the internal or external connections, and the overall consideration can more comprehensively reflect the polycentric characteristics of urban agglomerations. The internal and external connections of urban agglomerations are important functional connections, and the study of urban agglomerations should not ignore internal or external connections. Overall consideration can better reflect the polycentirccharacteristics of urban agglomerations.

The intercity daily flow of long stay international visitors (LSIV) reflects the economic globalisation and regional integration of a region. We made the first attempt to use mobile phone data to identify international visitors who stayed longer than one month in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in 2019, analysed the spatial patterns of LSIV, and revealed the impact factors associated with the daily intercity flow of LSIV. We discussed spatial dependence using multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR), and performed cluster analysis to understand the combination effects. The results show that enterprises have the largest effect, AQI and administrative hierarchy have relatively low effects, and income, imports and exports do not have any significant effect. Overall, the economically developed eastern regions of the YRD region are more attractive for daily travel by LSIV, with the Shanghai metropolitan area being the most attractive. Our findings provide new insights into the relationship between the intercity daily flow of LSIV and the urban economy and society in the delta region to help suggest planning recommendations to enhance the globalisation development strategy and provide a better environment for international visitors in the delta region.

It should be recognized that women in long-distance commuting in China may suffer from unequal treatment. This study visualized gender differences and uneven reactions of women in long-distance commuting in Suzhou, China. We speculate on the potential spatial impact of employment equity among female long-distance commuters in Suzhou. The cartogram revealed that women’s average long-distance commuting is longer, and their work destinations are mainly concentrated in Kunshan and the central city, where international companies gather.

The external relations of small towns are an important dimension in the regional urban system. However, the “metropolitan bias” in existing studies results in a lack of empirical verification of their characteristics, hindering effective regional policymaking. Applying Central Flow Theory (CFT), mobile phone data, and a multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model, this study investigates the spatially non-stationary associations between built environment factors and the “city-ness” and “town-ness” of small towns in the Yangtze River Delta. The results show: (1) Enterprise density in metropolitan shadow areas is positively associated with cross-city jobs–housing separation; in peripheral areas, both enterprise density and housing prices exhibit a strong correlation with intra-municipal jobs–housing separation. (2) Middle schools consistently correlate with localized intra-municipal flows, suggesting a plausible spatial anchoring role; around metropolises, medical and commercial facilities link to recreational flows and commuting town-ness, while in distal small towns, medical facilities coincide with intratown jobs–housing balance, and commercial facilities correlate with localized consumption and cross-town employment mobility. (3) Higher road network density corresponds to a shrinking commuting radius near metropolises and intra-municipal intertown interconnection in distal towns, rather than mere external relation channels. This study empirically supports CFT at the small-town scale, explores plausible mechanisms, and informs differentiated planning strategies.

The North–South Divide, which historically divided global national development, is now being questioned due to the rise of the Global South represented by China. We analyze the impact of this divide using global connections observed through international visitors to the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in China. We visualized the global origins of international visitors to the YRD region and their spatial distribution within the region. The cartogram depicts a significant contribution of the Global North to the scale of international visitors in the YRD region, indicating a closer functional connection between mainland China and the Global North. This suggests that the influence of the North–South Divide on mainland China persists. Despite mainland China strengthening South–South Cooperation through the Belt and Road national strategy, the crucial role played by the Global North in China’s economic globalization is challenging to reverse in the short term. Additionally, the successful path taken by China may not be universally applicable to all of the Global South.