In April of 1979, Guangdong Province took the lead in China in setting up special economic zones (SEZs) of Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou. For the past decades, those SEZs have achieved so much that Shenzhen, for example, has grown into a metropolis from a pretty small coastal town in only 20 years' time, finding herself right on the way to a prosperous society.

Dongguan, Zhongshan, Foshan, Nanhai and Shunde just followed suit, turning themselves into modern industrial productive bases. Thus the Pearl River Delta, which was once reputed as a land of plenty, has created a miracle of fast economic development in China.

When you look at the statue of the path breaking bull just in front of Shenzhen City Hall, you will surely be impressed with this robust spiritual symbol of Shenzhen. The bull is charging forward with a fearless daring.

As China's first Special Economic Zone, Shenzhen is at the forefront of the Pearl River Delta neighboring Hong Kong. During the past two decades, it has created a widely admired Shenzhen speed of economic growth. 

Shenzhen has established a modern market system in line with international practices, comprising markets for daily-use commodities, finance, stock, real estate, labor, technology and information, all of which are open, and compete in sequence. The city provides a sound legal environment for foreign investors.

Shenzhen is one of the few cities in China that has legislative power. To date it has promulgated nearly 300 local laws and regulations covering various aspects of its economic activities, and has basically formed a legal system that is in conformity with international practices.

Foreign visitors to Shenzhen frequently express their admiration at the city's exterior environment and inner operation mechanism being on a par with any large European or American city. Some large international companies and financial groups have moved their regional headquarters from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, and others, such as Lucent and Ericsson, have set up research and development centers here.

In 2000, Shenzhen was designated an international garden city, further indicating its growing international popularity, an event sponsored by the United Nations. Out of the fewer than 10 cities selected, it was only Shenzhen that received a full vote from the election committee, thus surpassing all the candidate cities from the United States and Germany.

Shenzhen is synonymous with high-tech industry in the Pearl River Delta. The city, covering 327 square kilometers of land, produces 20% of the country's computer products, 50% of its program-controlled switches, and 15% of the country's semiconductor integrated circuits. It ranks first in sales volume of liquid crystal displays, high-quality cordless telephones and printers. The output value and sales volume of its information industry make up 15% of the national total, and more than half of the Guangdong Province total.

Shenzhen's information industry has formed a complete industrial chain, with complete manufacturing capacities. More than 50 percent of Shenzhen's output value comes from products that own core technologies and independent intellectual property rights, indicating that an ever increasing number of enterprises have taken charge of their own destinies. The local government is to pay more attention to the high-tech industry, such as integrated circuitry, softwares, photo electronics, computers, communications and digital electric appliances. 

As regards industrial classification, of China's four largest telecommunications groups, two are located in Shenzhen, and the Huawei Group is the leader in this field. The other two groups have also built their production bases in Shenzhen. This city has more than 1 500 enterprises producing more than 90 percent of the parts and accessories needed for a computer.

The sales volume of computers in Shenzhen makes up nearly half of the China's total. Most of the larger computer companies are based in Shenzhen, and their research and development bases are also generally built here. Shenzhen lacks, however, the production of super-large integrated circuits.

In the field of optical communications, Shenzhen sells more optical-fiber cable than any other city, and it is currently negotiating with Japan on a large project. Shenzhen ranks first in China as regards high technologies, and it can compete with the best of its international counterparts. High-tech products occupy a considerable portion of its huge volume of exports.

Editor: Catherine