Impressions of Shenzhen
Shenzhen’s natural conditions aren’t ideal for living. In the plum‑rain season, damp walls can drip water; sudden showers and gusts roll through, and the weather can shift countless times in a day. Yet in the geopolitical layout, Shenzhen holds unmatched advantages: backed by the mainland, close to Hong Kong and Macao, with an excellent natural deep‑water port. It is naturally fit for an export‑oriented economy and for the efficient circulation of people, goods, and venues.
Before the Special Economic Zone, the local population was small; fields and tidal flats stretched out, with no heavy historical burden. Young fortune‑seekers from across China became the builders of this young city, and pioneers who dared to be first gathered in every trade. The Shekou Industrial Zone held early democratic elections for leaders; Shenzhen’s SOEs were among the first to adopt professional manager systems. China’s earliest high‑tech firms in genomics, information technology, and stealth materials clustered here.
People in Shenzhen prize results and don’t beat around the bush. Business talks are direct, with no small talk or fuss. Business hospitality avoids formalities—enough to fill stomachs is enough. In the era of rough‑and‑tumble growth, investing, cashing out, smuggling—anything that made money was considered a good line of work. When Shenzheners do something, they push to the extreme. Enter an industry, and it’s first place or nothing. Before Huawei made phones, it never tried to chase trends for show; once it decided to do it, it aimed straight for the strongest on earth. SOEs are similar: CIMC, the old state‑owned enterprise in Shekou, ranks number one worldwide in every field it entered—containers, drilling platforms, jet bridges, subsea pipe‑laying ships. Money is in the air everywhere. Even local metro newspapers have little room for street news; every page screams jobs, stocks, and high‑tech.
In Shenzhen, land is dear. Construction land costs as much as 3 million RMB per mu, and the city has around 20,000 mu of agricultural land left. Skyscrapers crowd the city; buildings stand with barely a gap between them. Guangtian Tower, Hefeng Tower, and Caiwu Tower are essentially one conjoined building. Many hotels save space by putting their restaurants right in the first‑floor lobby, sharing space with reception. Even the hills left ungraded are packed with housing.
Shenzhen doesn’t believe in tears. Many young fortune‑seekers from all over China hole up in the Sanhe internet cafés, gaming until they topple over asleep. Many college graduates come to Huawei with dreams, chasing 500,000‑RMB salaries unimaginable in inland cities—only to find that in Shenzhen, even with 500,000 a year, they may have less than 50,000 left in the bank by year’s end. Shenzhen is no longer the dreamland of old; for many young people, it has become a wound.
Published at: Sep 10, 2025 · Modified at: Sep 10, 2025
