History of Shenzhen

Shenzhen was once a fishing village which is known by the rest of the country as the kingdom of the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and the first of China’s Special Economic Zones (SEZ) as a result of its proximity to Hong Kong. Established in the year 1979, Shenzhen was formerly a prosperous British colony. The SEZ was created here to be a ground for experimenting with capitalism within the parameters of Chinese socialism.

The location of Shenzhen was chosen so that it would attract industrial assets from Hong Kong as both these places share identical language, dialect and culture. The concept, however, proved to be a successful one, thus attracting further investment prospects for global trade and economic reforms. Eventually, Shenzhen became one of the largest cities in the Pearl River Delta region, which is the largest economic base in the world.

Formerly known as the Bao’an County, Shenzhen was promoted to the level of a prefecture under the province of Guangdong in November1979. In May 1980, it was formally nominated as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). In November1980, it was given the right of provincial economic administration. It is the king, Deng Xiaoping, who should be credited with the economic revival of Shenzhen, and that of China at large.