(Yicai Global) July 14 -- Municipalities that have been large regional central cities throughout history, including Xian (capital of Shaanxi province), Shenyang (capital of Liaoning province) and Nanjing (capital of Jiangsu province) hope to edge into the national central cities list this year.

A new-style urbanization report compiled by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) suggests this possibility.

Based on the Chinese government's blueprint, national central cities are rated as core cities in China's municipal hierarchy. The list has hitherto contained only Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan and Zhengzhou.

The most important function of these national central cities is to drive regional development. Of the eight cities currently on the list, seven -- the four municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing, and the three large regional central cities of Guangzhou, Wuhan and Chengdu -- have been central cities since the time of the planned economy. Of the rest, Zhengzhou, capital of China's largest province by registered population, Henan, is also a central city among the Central Plain urban cluster.

Therefore, from a purely pro-regional growth perspective, the likes of Xian, Shenyang, Nanjing and other regional central cities are most likely to secure a spot as contenders for inclusion in the list.

Zhang Baotong, consultant of the Shaanxi provincial government and researcher of Shaanxi Academy of Social Sciences, told Yicai Global that Xian, a leading city in northwestern China, sits at its heart. Once incorporated into the national central cities, Xian will serve a major function in boosting development of the Guanzhong Plain urban cluster and the entire western region.

Peng Peng, vice-president of the Guangdong Provincial Society of Economic Reform explained to Yicai Global that all regional central cities designated as such during the planned economy era should probably be re-styled national central cities. Also, cities that take the lead in industry with substantial economic output, e.g. Shenzhen in Guangdong province and Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, have every prospect of making the cut.