Shenzhen's economy has grown 1,800 times over the past 26 years, with its GDP surpassing US$60 billion and export value topping US$100 billion last year. Shenzhen ranks fourth among worldwide container ports, and is third in China, following Beijing and Shanghai, in comprehensive economic strength.

One of Shenzhen's pillar industries, the high-tech sector yielded US$32.25 billion in output in the first half of this year, accounting for half of the city's total industrial output.

Shenzhen is striving to achieve "green GDP" for a green economy as part of its efforts to maintain a sustainable development. The city consumed the least energy in turning out the unit industrial output value and GDP growth in China last year. In the past six months this year, Shenzhen turned out 256.1 billion yuan (US$32 billion) of GDP, up 13.5 percent from the same period last year, while only 0.59 tons of charcoal was consumed in generating every 10,000 yuan of GDP, down 1.5 percent from last year.

So far more than 120 multinational companies have set up offices in Shenzhen and EU firms are the top three investors.

Editor: Yan