Shenzhen Introduction (二)

【Economy】

Shenzhen is China's first special economic zone. It could achieve only 606 yuan per capita GDP in 1979. At present, Shenzhen tops all the municipalities in mainland China regarding per capita GDP as one of the municipalities with best economic returns nationwide. It also leads mainland China's large and mid-size municipalities regarding per unit area GDP, average personal income and total export. Additionally, Shenzhen's GDP ranks fourth among large and mid-size municipalities in mainland China while its government revenue takes the third place. Shenzhen's total import and export volume accounts for one seventh of the country's total, leading the country in this regard for 12 years in a row.

As the outpost of Pearl River Delta Area, Shenzhen is the bridge connecting mainland China and Hong Kong as an important transport hub in the coastal area of South China. The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor will bring about closer mutual links upon completion. Hi-tech, modern logistics, financial services and cultural industry are the four economic pillars which Shenzhenis striving to develop.

On the whole, Shenzhen has established a new industrial structure in compliance with the functions of a modern and central city featuring "hi-tech & advanced manufacturing as economic base and modern service industry as economic backbone" after years of development.

【Ecological Environment】

Shenzhen is China's first city where the objective that all industrial pollution sources treatment must be up to par is achieved. Shenzhen has a total of 11 wastewater treatment plants with 5 more new ones under construction. Statistics show that 81 percent of Shenzhen's urban refuse harmless treatment is handled properly while 96% of processed industrial wastewater and 96.7% of water source in the city's major reservoirs for drinking water supply is up to standard. The regional average noise level and average noise level on both sides of main urban traffic trunk line stands at 56.1 and 69.2 decibel respectively.

Shenzhen has won international awards like "Nations in Bloom" by International Federation of Park and Recreation Administration (IFPRA) and "Global Top 500 Laureate Roll of Honor" by UNEP as well as national awards such as "National Clean City," "National Garden City" and "National Model Green City".

Shenzhen's green area takes up 45 percent of the total urban area with a per capital green area of 16 square meters. The total area of natural protection zone is 170.3 square kilometers, accounting for 7 percent of total municipal area.

To be continued