Abstract: This paper focuses on the development and integration of inland ports of Yangtze River in Jiangsu province by using several qualitative models such as Port Location Quotient, Division Coefficient, Homogenization etc. It reveals some significant features of the inland port cluster in Jiangsu which are still on the stage far from sufficiently collaborative; there are lots of problems and challenges existing in current development. The results can be concluded as following: (1)Competitive relationship among different ports has been formed (a situation of tripartite confrontation with one superpower, one big-power and many powers) which takes Suzhou as the core, Nanjing as the inferior center, the other ports in southern and middle Jiangsu as the auxiliaries; (2)Excluding the container cargo transportation still maintain the monopoly position in hub ports, the port group construction of Jiangsu section belongs to high level. However, there are still some problems including the excessive competition and serious homogenization among all these ports; (3)Jiangsu inland port cluster is experiencing a period of slow adjustment of structure, in which the scale grade tends to remain a stable increase. Finally, this paper reviews the development trend of the Yangtze River inland port group in Jiangsu from the perspective of the integration of regional governance and provides some policy recommendations about port development in strategy optimization, re-positioning and collaboration.
Key words：inland port group; competition pattern; integration; the Yangtze River