Optimizing Regional Division: Analyzing Urban Development Level for Accurate Economic Representation

Traditional regional divisions based solely on geographical location often fail to capture the true economic disparities between cities within a region. To address this, this study incorporates the level of urban development as a key factor. Referencing the official 'China City Commercial Attraction Ranking in 2020', we constructed an average trend chart (Figure 2) based on city rankings. This chart provides a more nuanced and accurate representation of the economic development gap between cities within a given region, highlighting the importance of considering urban development level in regional analysis.