Summary of Key Points
To date, 21 national-level metropolitan areas have been approved nationwide, with an additional 6 expected to be added in the future (the total planned number is 27). Among them, the Kunming Metropolitan Area is the 21st and the fourth in the western region. It focuses on its role as a gateway for opening up to South Asia and Southeast Asia, covering 17 counties and urban districts in Yunnan Province, with the goal of achieving an economic aggregate of 1.45 trillion yuan and an urbanization rate of 82% by 2030. Meanwhile, 10 more metropolitan areas, including the Shanghai Metropolitan Area, are currently in the planning stage.
I. National-Level Metropolitan Areas: 21 Approved, 6 Still to Be Added
The government first proposed the concept of developing modern metropolitan areas in 2019 with the aim of promoting more efficient urban development. To date, 21 metropolitan areas have been approved through responses from the National Development and Reform Commission or approvals from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council (for example, the Capital Metropolitan Area was approved by the central government in February 2026). According to national plans, a total of 27 metropolitan areas are to be established across the four major regions of the country (east, west, south, and north), so 6 more need to be approved. Four of these are already in the western region: Chengdu, Xi'an, Chongqing, and Kunming; three remain to be approved.
II. The Kunming Metropolitan Area: Timeline and Scope
The approval process for the Kunming Metropolitan Area was not immediate:
- Preliminary preparations began in 2023.
- A planning working group was established in 2024.
- In January 2026, the National Development and Reform Commission gave its consent.
- The official plan was released by Yunnan Province in June 2026.
The area covered by the Kunming Metropolitan Area is not particularly large, totaling 25,000 square kilometers. It includes 12 districts and counties of Kunming (excluding Dongchuan District and Luquan County), Malong District in Qujing, parts of Chengjiang City and Hongta District in Yuxi, Lufeng City in Chuxiong, and Mile City in Honghe, totaling 17 counties and urban districts. In simple terms, the area develops around Kunming, incorporating several neighboring cities.
III. Kunming Metropolitan Area's Short-Term Goals for 2030
By 2030, the Kunming Metropolitan Area aims to achieve the following key indicators:
- An economic aggregate of approximately 1.45 trillion yuan (a significant increase from the current level).
- An urbanization rate of 82% (meaning that 82 out of every 100 people will live in urban areas).
- The creation of a metropolitan area with clear divisions of labor, convenient transportation, accessible public services, and a livable environment. For example, Kunming will focus on high-end industries, while surrounding cities will provide supporting services, ensuring that people, capital, and resources can move freely, and residents do not have to travel long distances for medical care or education.
IV. The Special Value of the Kunming Metropolitan Area
There are two unique reasons why the government has approved the Kunming Metropolitan Area:
1. National Level: It is the only national-level metropolitan area focused on South Asia and Southeast Asia, serving as a hub for trade and communication between China and these regions. This will facilitate the sale of Yunnan's fruits and minerals to Southeast Asia and the import of goods from there, as well as promoting cross-border tourism and investment.
2. Provincial Level: Kunming is the wealthiest, most innovative, and most open region in Yunnan. Developing this metropolitan area will help boost the economy of surrounding cities and support the development of the entire central Yunnan urban cluster, which is the heart of Yunnan's economic activity.
V. Other Metropolitan Areas Under Approval
In addition to the 21 already approved areas, there are 10 more in the planning phase, including:
- Shanghai Metropolitan Area: The largest in scope, covering 14 cities such as Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, Hangzhou, and Ningbo (including the core area of the Yangtze River Delta). The draft plan was made public in February 2026.
- Other areas such as Harbin, Hohhot, Taiyuan, Nanchang, Nanning, Guiyang, Lanzhou-Baiyin, Xining-Haidong, and Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou are also awaiting national approval.
Once all these metropolitan areas are approved, the national plan of 27 will be complete, with each region having its own core metropolitan area driving development.
Overall, national-level metropolitan areas act like a "network of cities," where central cities support their surrounding areas in upgrading. This not only prevents waste of resources but also enhances regional competitiveness. For ordinary people, this may mean more job opportunities and better transportation and living services. The approval of the Kunming Metropolitan Area is a significant boost for the opening up and development of the southwestern region.