Hey fam! 🎉 On August 26, Shenzhen marks 45 years as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). What began in 1980 as a chill fishing village on the southern coast of the Chinese mainland in Guangdong Province has turned into a buzzing global city.
Numbers speak louder than words: back in 1980, Shenzhen’s GDP was a humble 270 million yuan (around $38 million). Fast forward to 2024, and it’s shot up to a whopping 3.68 trillion yuan—over 10,000x growth! 📈
Innovation is the name of the game here. With 5G networks blazing fast, AI labs cooking up smart solutions, and drones buzzing above, Shenzhen is home to giants like Huawei, BYD, and DJI. Official stats say there are 4.5 million business entities—imagine running into one every 12 square meters! 😲
The city also boasts 25,000 national high-tech enterprises and about 11,000 specialized SMEs—nicknamed "little giants" for mastering niche markets and cutting-edge tech. They now contribute 42.3% of the city’s GDP, up from 37.7% just five years ago.
Shenzhen’s port game is strong too. In 2024, it handled 11.7% more containers than the year before, keeping it as the world’s fourth busiest port. Plus, the marine economy hit 540.9 billion yuan, making up nearly 15% of the city’s GDP—talk about sea power! 🚢
From fishing nets to fiber optics, Shenzhen’s glow-up shows how tech, bold policies, and big dreams can reshape a city in no time. What’s next for this urban wonder? Only time—and innovation—will tell! 💡
Reference(s):
Shenzhen grows from a coastal fishing village into a global metropolis
cgtn.com
