中文摘要：

同城化是“从区域论城市”基础上形成的一种新的城市区域发展观。在湖北小池滨江新区上升为“省级战略”之际，从政策主导、内生驱动、外借助推、资源聚合等4个方面分析小池南望融入九江同城发展的动力。结合相关数据分析指出，在“中四角”地理中心与“鄂东门户”耦合的特殊区位条件下，小池发展面临区位优势转化难、产业定位游离、城镇化动力不足、空间风貌特色欠缺等问题，并从九江、黄梅“同城共建、拥江共享、错位共赢”5个维度指出，位于鄂东前沿阵地的小池城镇空间需要重点从构建完善的公共服务设施体系和基础设施网络、提升拥江发展的梯次空间品质、聚合错位发展的产业布局等方面调控优化，以彰显两地的同城化效应，带动鄂东门户地带的发展。

英文摘要：

Urban area integration is a new form of regional development based on the concept of ＂city-region.＂ This paper analyzes the driving force for integrating Xiaochi into its neighboring Jiujiang City from the four aspects of the macroeconomic policy, the internal driving force, the external boosting power, and the endogenous resources aggregation, hoping to facilitate the development of Xiaochi Riverside District as it has risen as the ＂provincial strategy.＂ Statistical analysis reveals that major challenges in Xiaochi, a town located in the center of the so-called ＂four corners in central China＂ as well as at ＂the gateway of eastern Hubei Province,＂ consist of difficulty in exploiting regional features, random industry positioning, feeble driving force for urbanization, and lack of spatial characteristics. This paper proposes a spatial optimization strategy to overcome the above challenges based upon the principles of ＂building as one city, co-sharing resources along the Yangtze River, and win-win via dislocation development＂ for the development of Jiujiang and Huangmei cities. In detail, Xiaochi, as a forefront located in eastern Hubei Province, should focus on boosting the public facility system and infrastructure network, enhancing the quality of its riverside echelon spaces, and optimizing dislocation development of the industrial layout. By doing so, the effect of urban area integration is expected to be highlighted to promote the development of the portal area in the eastern Hubei Province.