A Study on the Development of Jiujiang as a Key City within the Context of Chinese-Style Modernisation

Chinese-style modernisation follows a path of modernisation with distinctive Chinese characteristics; the key to promoting high-quality development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and implementing the strategy for coordinated regional development lies in developing key cities along the Yangtze River. Jiujiang is Jiangxi’s sole gateway to the outside world with access to both the river and the sea; it serves as a key strategic node connecting the upstream and downstream regions of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, as well as a hub linking four provinces. Using the theory of Chinese-style modernisation as a framework, this paper examines Jiujiang’s achievements as a node city in light of its geographical location, industrial base and ecological resources, whilst analysing its existing shortcomings. It offers recommendations for optimisation across five dimensions—industrial innovation, comprehensive hubs, green ecology, regional coordination and urban-rural governance—thereby providing practical guidance for the modernisation of cities situated at inter-provincial borders along the Yangtze River in central China.