By Guo Wei & Lin Xiaoning, Research Team on “A Comparative Study on the Development and Governance of Typical Capital Cities”, DRC

Research Report, Special Issue, No 26, 2016 (Total NO 1501) 2016-06-27

Abstract: The Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area is one of Germany’s 11 influential metropolises in Europe. Out of historical reasons, this area has a short history and experienced failures in merging with other states. However, relying on scientific system design, it has achieved synergic regional development and effectively avoided the occurrence of “big-city maladies” often contaminated by capital cities. Its main experience includes: establishing a joint regional planning group to coordinate development interests of the two states; improving non-governmental cooperation channels and encouraging people from different social stratum to get involved in social projects; and establishing a multi-core synergic development layout to avoid excessive concentration of citizens. The case of Berlin-Brandenburg could offer us some implications on the synergic development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei economic circle in three aspects: namely improving the synergic development planning mechanism, accelerating equalization reform of public services and establishing funds for synergic development.

Key words: governance of metropolitan areas, multi-core, synergetic development