Shenzhen has evolved from a low-cost manufacturing base to a global center of innovation that remains critical to the world’s supply chains.
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Corporate HQs, MNC presence, branded outlets, hotels, manufacturing, start-up ecosystem, transport linkages, population, and income.
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Manufacturing, industrial parks, export share and share change by category, air and port infrastructure, freight time to market, trade agreements, and expert interviews.
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Passenger traffic, flight connectivity, air-cargo flights, port infrastructure, container ship sailings, and major road networks.
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Coastal and river flooding, extreme rain, extreme heat and humidity, cyclones, and water scarcity.
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Shenzhen’s 2024 National Day celebrations kicked off with a show featuring more than 10,000 drones soaring over Shenzhen Bay Park, transitioning effortlessly between depictions of birds, spaceships, and the city’s iconic skyline. A departing visitor could order a taxi with a few taps on a phone, a sleek, locally manufactured electric vehicle arriving silently within minutes. On the journey home, the rider might catch a glimpse of the 115-floor Ping An Financial Centre or any of the bustling hardware accelerators that dot the city. A humble fishing village in the 1990s, Shenzhen has transformed into a global innovation hub.
Shenzhen already ships over $340 billion worth of goods annually — similar to Vietnam. And the city’s industries are evolving at a rapid pace. As apparel and clothing manufacturers move operations to lower-cost locations, more advanced sectors are stepping in to fill the gap. Shenzhen is now a significant player in the production of electric vehicles and lithium batteries, among other high-tech goods, ensuring it will remain a vital part of global supply chains. Although tariffs on these products may increase, especially in the United States, it will be challenging for major economic powers to completely decouple from China, and Shenzhen’s exports to the world are poised to keep growing.
The list of leading global companies based in Shenzhen reflects this industrial evolution. BYD has swiftly risen to become one of the world’s largest electric vehicle brands, its cars spotted on streets from Madrid to Riyadh. Huawei stands as a global leader in information and communication technology, navigating geopolitical challenges while serving as a key supplier to many cities that rely on its equipment. Meanwhile, Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics may not be a household name globally, but it is a significant exporter of advanced medical equipment. These brands, along with many others, ensure that Shenzhen remains a key player on the world stage.
Supporting this industrial prowess is Shenzhen’s impressive logistics infrastructure. The city boasts air cargo flights to more than 60 international destinations, ranking among the top five in the world for flight volume, a reflection of the surge in shipments of high-value electronics like smartphones. Manufacturers shipping by sea enjoy easy access to some of the world’s busiest ports right in Shenzhen, where container vessel traffic also ranks in the top five globally, alongside neighboring Hong Kong. With a highly developed road network, transferring products to ports is easy, allowing suppliers to swiftly ship component parts to final buyers for assembly.
