Shenzhen
is located in the very south of Guangdong Province. Overlooking Hong
Kong to the south and bordering Kowloon, this area is commonly
referred to as Hong Kong's "backyard". Although the
population of the city is about 5 million, only 1.5 million people are
legally registered permanent residents. The remainder are a bizarre
mixture of businessmen, investors and illegal immigrants, all here in
an attempt to get a share in the Special Economic Zone's
wealth.
The area is actually divided into three
parts, the Special
Economic Zone (SEZ), Shenzhen City and Shenzhen County. Virtually
all the action is situated around the SEZ which is the business and
financial heart of the city and the reason why most visitors come to
Shenzhen.
Although there can be no doubt that the
SEZ is a huge financial and commercial success it is not a
particularly charming or pleasant city. Businessmen and delegates from
all over China regularly visit Shenzhen to see this economic success
in action. The general feeling however, is that the city lacks
something in other areas.
The absence of history and culture here
make Shenzhen seem almost desolate and the abundant wealth and
investment do not compensate for the lack of soul and the drab
atmosphere in the city.
Most people who visit Shenzhen do so on
business and there are an abundance of hotels and other facilities
catering to the business traveler which help to make a stay in
Shenzhen more enjoyable. What's more, the city is well located next to
Hong Kong and a day trip to the big city for some culture is very
convenient.
