Globalization and informatization promote the evolution of urban spatial organiza-tion from a hierarchical structure mode to a network structure mode,forming a complex net-work system.This study considers the coupling of“space of flows”and“spaces of places”as the core and“embeddedness”as the link and a relevant theoretical basis;then we construct a conceptual model of urban networks and explore the internal logic of enterprise networks and city networks.Using the interlocking-affiliate network model and data from China\'s top 500 listed companies,this study constructs a directed multi-valued relational matrix between cities in western China from 2005 to 2015.Using social network analysis and the multiple regres-sion of quadratic assignment program model(MRQAP),this study adopts a“top-down”re-search perspective to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution and growth mechanism of the city network in western China from three nested spatial scales:large regions,intercity ag-glomerations,and intracity agglomerations.The results show the following:(1)Under the large regional scale,the city network has good symmetry,obvious characteristics of hierar-chical diffusion,neighborhood diffusion,and cross-administrative regional connection,pre-senting the“core-periphery”structural pattern.(2)The network of intercity agglomerations has the characteristics of centralization,stratification,and geographical proximity.(3)The internal network of each urban agglomeration presents a variety of network structure modes,such as dual-core,single-core,and multicore modes.(4)Administrative subordination and economic system proximity have a significant positive impact on the city network in western China.The differences in internet convenience,investment in science and technology,aver-age time distance,and economic development have negative effects on the growth and de-velopment of city networks.(5)The preferential attachment is the internal driving force of the city network development.