Moran’s I index method was used to test the spatial autocorrelation of urban economic development of the Yangtze River Delta. The results showed that the overall spatial autocorrelation of the Yangtze River Delta increased from 2002 to 2008, decreased from 2009 to 2013, and increased again from 2014 to 2017 in the sample period. It was obvious that the economic development of the Yangtze River Delta was strong in the east and weak in the west. We further investigate the overall progress of the integrated development of 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta from 2002 to 2017 by means of the dynamic spatial econometric model based on conditional convergence. The empirical analysis shows that there are three stages of economic relations of the Yangtze River Delta. The degree of internal integration of Shanghai metropolitan region is obviously better than that of the western metropolitan region of Yangtze River Delta headed by Nanjing. In order to radiate Shanghai's economic energy to the western region of the Yangtze River Delta through Nanjing and other central cities, it is necessary to build the western growth pole of the Yangtze River Delta by relying on the new path to the south of the Yangtze River Delta and the new path to the north of the Yangtze River Delta, and realize the overall promotion of the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.
