Abstract: A gravity model was constructed based on the comprehensive city quality and the bidirectional time distance to analyze the spatial and temporal pattern of the economic relations between Hefei and Nanjing two cities. The spatial structure of the urban economic network was explored by social network analysis. The findings are as follows: The economic connection strength of Hefei–Nanjing metropolitan area is led by two cores, with a "strong east, weak west" and "strong central, weak north and south" pattern; The interaction among circles is weak, and the potential for coordinated development in the intersection area is huge; The positive externality of economic network connection in Hefei has not been fully developed. The economic network is getting more closely connected, but not to a high level, and the structural stability is weak; The resource radiation capacity of the metropolitan area is stronger than its resource agglomeration capacity on the whole; The situation of the core city being "dominant" has changed, and the imbalance of regional economic connections has been improved. The geographical proximity of the cohesive subgroups is strong, but the composition of the cities is unstable, and the cohesion of the subgroups within the Nanjing metropolitan area is relatively strong. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the inter-circle connection, create integrated transportation, build a scientific and technological innovation community, and jointly promote the city-industry integration.

Key words: economic network structure, social network analysis, regional coordinated development, Hefei–Nanjing metropolitan area