A Cross-boundary Mega City-region in China under ‘Two Systems’: Multi-level Governance in the Greater Pearl River Delta

The contingent effects of globalization, regionalization and the end of the Cold War have brought about the proliferation of cross-border regions (CBRs), that is territorial units that include contiguous national or subnational units from two or more nation states (Perkmann and Sum 2002). National borders and the associated border regions seem to be deriving new meanings and presenting new opportunities. There are virtually no local or regional authorities in border areas that are not somehow involved in cross-border cooperation initiatives with their counterparts. Since 1990, there has been witnessed a renewed interest in boundaries within a number of different academic fields (Newman and Paasi 1998). However, more empirical case studies in different parts of the world would be helpful for setting up a useful framework for research on borders and cross-border regions (Blatter 2004; Scott 1999; Sidaway et al. 2005).