Can someone explain what this means? What does this governmental "charge" look like? Is it just a zoning thing, or is it more personal?
The infamed communist 5 years plans barely mean anything for the real economy.
South China got ahead in manufacturing due to market economy reaching it first.
Shanghai got banks because Jiang Zemin lived there, and he wanted money like every proper communist.
Chongqing seen its development as the only inland China big city, and lack of any other alternative.
Beijing is now late to the party, and bureaucrats there basically ordered it to become another "center" through administrative fiat.
I am not sure your basis for this. The presence of the policy itself is effective in guiding the human mind and interests, also broadcast certain information national wide. The policy is comboed with fiscal policy, i.e., easier loan for the designated sectors. And more effective use of nationally-owned enterprises, research facilities, etc.
Of course, policy needs to be realistic by matching the regional characteristics. As you said, one cannot industrilize the inner cities first, because the global economy is centered on marine transportation, so naturally it starts from Shanghai and guangdong, which are close to sea ports. But that does not make the policy less coherent. It just means that the policy is sensible and meaningful.