In recent years, major cities in China and Southeast Asia have gained increasing prominence as production centers in production networks in East Asia, and also as consumer markets fueled by vigorous purchasing power. The development of these major cities is expected to drive sustainable growth not only in the countries where they are located, but throughout East Asia. In this article we will examine urbaniza- tion in East Asia and analyze the current status of these major cities. We will also look at the factors driving the development of these cities, consider their future pros- pects, and study the issues facing them.