Shenzhen - the Southern tech-hub

About Shenzhen…

Centrally located within easy reach of cities across Asia - a stone's throw from Hong Kong and just a short flight from Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore - Shenzhen has a real buzz about it.

Shenzhen is a part of one of China's Special Economic Zones, with a population exceeding 13 million people (according to the World Population Review). It is widely regarded as the ‘Silicon Valley of China’ and around 40% of its GDP comes from the tech industry. It’s population has grown rapidly over the past few decades, and it is the young, well-educated who are helping this city become a magnet for tech investment and start-up companies.

The Greater Bay Initiative…

Shenzhen has become a particularly exciting place to be in recent years as it has benefited from government investment in the Greater Bay Initiative. This initiative brings together Hong Kong and Macao with cities across Guangdong. It focuses on connectivity and innovation, including interconnectivity between the cities through impressive infrastructure. It is also seeking to create an international innovation and technology hub, as set out in the government’s 2019 Outline Delivery Plan. The ultimate ambition is to turn the region into a true world powerhouse, with a GDP that could reach the size of Germany’s within 20 years.

What next?

As outlined in their report “Keys to success in the Greater Bay Area” (A joint report between KPMG China, HSBC and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce) - firms are extremely optimistic about Shenzhen’s future growth. There is a hive of activity including conferences and events - we are looking forward to joining the StartmeupHK Festival in November of this year - and are excited to see the continued growth of this region, as we support firms with their Business English.