我国经济发展水平东高西低。改变历史留下的东西部商品经济发展水平悬殊的状况。非朝夕之功,需数年努力。提高全国的经济发展水平是中华儿女的共同心愿。但各地区经济发展战略和策略的“趋同化”无异于拔苗助长,因地制宜、因时制宜、方能成效显著。党中央决定沿海地区发展外向型经济战略,不仅是为了促进沿海地区经济发展,而且是为了带动内地经济发展;不仅是地区性战略,而且是全国性战略。一、城市在发展外向型经济中的作用城市是沿海地区发展外向型经济的核心和关键。这是由城市经济发展的结构特点和性质功能作用决定的。从城市经济的结构特点来看,其外部特点是:(1)结构的层次性。一般可分为市区—郊区—县区—经济区四个层次。市区经济是城市经济层次结构的核心部分。它的结构质态决定着城市经济影响 The level of economic development in our country is high in the east and low in the west. Change the history of commodity economy left behind the level of disparity between the situation. Non-overnight eloquence, need years of hard work. Raising the level of economic development in the country is the common aspiration of the sons and daughters of China. However, the “convergence and assimilation” of regional economic development strategies and tactics is tantamount to that of promoting the development of the local economy. The Central Party Committee decided that the strategy of developing an export-oriented economy in the coastal areas should not only be aimed at promoting the economic development in the coastal areas but also to drive the economic development in the Mainland; not only as a regional strategy but also as a national strategy. I. The Role of Cities in Developing an Export-oriented Economy Cities are the core and key to developing an outward-looking economy in coastal areas. This is determined by the structural features and functions of the urban economic development. From the structural characteristics of urban economy, its external features are: (1) the structure of the hierarchy. Generally can be divided into urban - suburban - county - economic zone four levels. Urban economy is the core part of the urban economic hierarchy. Its structural quality determines the economic impact of the city