Shenzhen深圳

Shenzhen's story is short. Before it became a Special Economic Zone in 1980, it was only a border fishing village under Bao'an County. Today its permanent population exceeds 18.24 million (the country's biggest increase in 2025), its regional GDP is about 3.87 trillion yuan, up 5.5% year on year, and it stands as a window onto China's reform and opening-up, as well as the headquarters or core R&D base for tech giants like Huawei, Tencent and DJI — often called "China's Silicon Valley." It carries none of the historical baggage of ancient capitals, and is instead one of the country's youngest first-tier cities. For overseas visitors, Shenzhen usually means two things at once: it is itself a sample of the future city worth seeing with your own eyes, and it is the main land gateway from the mainland into Hong Kong.

From Fishing Village to Special Zone

"Shenzhen Speed," the footnote of an era

• Established as a Special Economic Zone on 26 August 1980; before that it was just a border fishing village under Bao'an County
• Permanent population exceeds 18.24 million, with the country's largest population increase in 2025
• "Shenzhen speed" — three floors a day at the Guomao Building — became shorthand for the zone's early construction efficiency

Tech & Innovation

From Huaqiangbei to DJI, the cardiac centre of the hardware world

• Huaqiangbei is a globally famous hub for electronic components and consumer electronics, known as "China's No.1 electronics street"
• Huawei, Tencent, DJI and BYD all have their headquarters or core R&D bases in Shenzhen
• The Nanshan and Shekou areas cluster tech firms and co-working spaces, making them some of the city's most international districts
• Creative parks like OCT-LOFT turn old factories into design studios and art spaces, offering a softer side beyond hardcore tech

A Melting Pot of Flavours

An immigrant city with no native "Shenzhen cuisine" — yet you can eat almost anything here

• The area was originally Bao'an, settled by a mix of Hakka and Cantonese people; old Hakka walled villages still preserve Hakka food traditions
• A large Chaoshan immigrant community means beef hotpot is nearly as common here as Cantonese dim sum
• Migrants from across China bring Sichuan, Hunan, Northeast and other regional cuisines, giving an extremely high density of options
• Dongmen Old Street is the classic spot for cheap eats and shopping, while Futian and Nanshan host the new dining and coffee scene

Everyday Life

Young, humid, and facing the sea

• The city has a short history; the contrast between old and new districts comes from different urban blocks, not from different eras
• Backed by Wutong Mountain and facing Shenzhen Bay, it combines mountain and sea resources in a way rarely seen in other first-tier cities
• The metro network is dense and still expanding; commutes are far-flung but the subway covers most of daily life
• Long, hot and humid summers with frequent typhoons; short, mild winters that need almost no heating