Economic globalization, regional integration and industrialization, as well as information technology and market forces, are having a tremendous impact on the development of large urban centers. In response, mayors and city governments must find appropriate models for sustainable development.

To that end, more than 120 city mayors or delegates from 43 cities in 25 countries and 16 Chinese mayors from the Yangtze River Delta are attending the First High-Level Forum on World Megalopolis Development in Nantong, Jiangsu Province. The forum, co-sponsored by the Boao Forum for Asia and the China Association of Mayors, opened on Saturday.

The 300-plus participants include former Philippine President Fidel Ramos; Lee Soo-sung, former prime minister of the Republic of Korea; and Jenny Shipley, former prime minister of New Zealand.

As economic, political, social, cultural and scientific centers, cities embody the strengths, including governance ability and international competitiveness of a country, participants agreed.

While megalopolises and megacities have diverse models of development, they are at the same time increasingly interdependent. The forum presents an opportunity for decision-makers and representatives to exchange ideas and experiences to work toward development of and prosperity for all cities.

To that end, on Monday the attendees passed the Nantong Initiative. They agreed to collaborate for urban improvement, with priority given to programs that enhance the lives of citizens, such as comfortable habitation, ample jobs and healthy environment.

Signatories to the declaration agreed that each city's individuality must be preserved to create a wide basis for exchange and mutual learning while also preserving the beauty of diversity.

The development of megacities is a long and complex process, they agreed, making the existence of a long-term, high-level exchange platform essential and timely.

"We are convinced that with strong sense of purpose and responsibility coupled with rich experience, we will be able to contribute to the common prosperity of all cities and well-being of the people through this exchange mechanism," according to the initiative.

The megalopolis was first conceived by French geologist Jean Gottmann and set out in his 1961 book Megalopolis. It is usually considered to be a cluster of interconnected metropolitan areas -- cities and their suburbs -- between which people commute in the conduct of their daily lives. It should have at least 25 million residents with a population density of 250 people per square kilometer.

Famous examples of megalopolises include the BosWash (Boston-Washington) area on the US East Coast; the cities lining the Great Lakes in North America; the Pacific coastal area of Japan; the southeastern UK centered on London; the Ruhr region in Europe; and the Yangtze River Delta cities centered on Shanghai.

The 16 megacities of the Yangtze River Delta account for only 1 percent of China's total land and 6 percent of its population, but they generate about 20 percent of its GDP, 22 percent of total income and 31 percent to the total exports of China, while taking in 48 percent of total foreign investment.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2004)