Landmark
Ping An Finance Center
China second tallest building at 599 meters, with observation deck offering panoramic views.
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
¥200
Shenzhen's modern story began in 1979, when Shenzhen City was established. In August 1980, it became China's first Special Economic Zone, created to test market-oriented reforms, attract investment, and connect the mainland economy more closely with Hong Kong and the wider world. This policy decision turned a border area into one of the fastest-growing cities in modern history.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Shenzhen became known for export processing, factories, ports, and migrant labor. The city's slogan-like identity of "Shenzhen speed" reflected how quickly roads, buildings, industrial parks, and neighborhoods appeared. In 1990, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange was founded, strengthening the city's role in capital markets as well as manufacturing.
After 2000, Shenzhen moved from low-cost manufacturing toward technology, design, finance, logistics, and advanced industry. Huawei, Tencent, BYD, DJI, ZTE, and many hardware startups helped redefine the city as an innovation hub. In 2019, national guidelines supported Shenzhen in building a Pilot Demonstration Area of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, giving the city a new policy mission focused on high-quality development, innovation, rule of law, urban civilization, wellbeing, and sustainability.
