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Shenzhen Benefits from Healthy Growth
In the 1980s, the symbolic building in the city of Shenzhen was the 53-storey International Trade Tower.
In the 1990s, the 68-storey Empire Building became the icon for the city.
This century, Shenzhen City Hall is expected to become another symbol.
Four to six storeys high, subtropical plants will grow around the new building, which will be surrounded by the Children's Palace, the Worker's Palace, the city museum and music halls in the city proper.
The hall will offer government receptions, wedding ceremonies and entertainment for local residents and tourists.
"We will no longer go for buildings just for their height, and will not try to compete with other domestic and foreign metropolises for the number of skyscrapers," said Zhang Gaoli, Shenzhen's Party secretary.
"We will try to create an excellent living environment for local residents, foreign investors and tourists, while continuing efforts to boost the economy in the years ahead," Zhang said.
The average living space per person in Shenzhen is 18 square metres, which leads the country in terms of size.
In the city's business centre and residential areas there are vast wooded areas, thanks to Shenzhen municipal government's 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) investments in education, environment protection, libraries and museums.
Such investment accounts for a big percentage of the city's annual gross domestic product, which has been enjoying rapid growth in recent years.
To give the city a better and cleaner look, Shenzhen had removed more than 3 million square metres of buildings which had been put up against regulations, Zhang said.
The municipal government tried to stick to principles of managing and building the city according to rules and regulations, Zhang said.
"Everyone in Shenzhen has to abide by laws and local regulations," Zhang said.
The government attaches great importance to educating people in ethics and trying to raise awareness among its residents.
"The city's attraction to foreign investors lies in its clean environment and the awareness of local officials and residents," Zhang said.
Yu Youjun, mayor of Shenzhen, said preferential policies granted to Shenzhen by central government in the past had been enjoyed by many inland provinces, regions and municipalities, but land and labour forces in Shenzhen were much more expensive than other areas in the country.
Yu said his city had continued to be a hot place for offshore investment and had taken the lead in Guangdong Province and the country in introducing the market economy.
Businesses -- including State-owned companies, foreign-funded firms and joint ventures -- were struggling to survive and expand in the market and should seek help from the mayor and the government as they used to, Yu said.
Zhang Gaoli said the city's good social order and living environment had also helped the city's economy.
In the past few years, Shenzhen's GDP has grown by 31.2 per cent to hit 143.6 billion yuan (US$17.3 billion) in 1999. The per capita GDP in the city is now 35,095 yuan (US$4,230).
Industrial production increased by 45.4 per cent to reach 202.5 billion yuan (US$24.4 billion) last year.
Shenzhen has used more than US$20 billion of overseas investment in the past two decades. More than 65 countries and regions around the world have set up firms, joint ventures, branches and representative offices in Shenzhen.
The city's export volume has represented more than a seventh of the country's total in seven successive years, making the city one of China's biggest export production bases. [Source: chinadaily.com.cn]
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