Regional coordinated development serves as a crucial pathway to achieve high-quality development and common prosperity for all people, with regional coordinated development policies constituting essential instruments for its implementation. Based on policy system theory, this study constructs a coding framework integrating factual and value dimensions to conduct quantitative content analysis of 149 regional coordinated development policy texts, investigating the pathways and characteristics of regional coordinated development from a policy system perspective. The research reveals that: (1) The value orientation of regional coordinated development policies has evolved from efficiency-oriented priorities to diversified objectives. (2) Capacity-building and systemic reform emerge as predominant policy instrument types, followed by mandatory and incentive-based tools, with advisory instruments being least utilized. (3) The match between policy instruments and policy values demonstrates stage-specific stability. (4) Local government capacity-building remains the primary focus of policy instruments. The study summarizes the distinctive features of regional coordinated development policies and proposes directions for future research.