Since the "first explosion of reform and opening up" took place with the founding of Shenzhen's Shekou Industrial Zone in 1979, Shenzhen, in south China's Guangdong Province, has been transformed from a small fishing village into an influential city of economy, science and technology and regional finance. Many pioneering sci-tech giants including Huawei, Tencent and drone producer DJI were incubated there. Forty years ago, Shenzhen's per-capita GDP was only 606 yuan ($95). In 2017, it reached 183,100 yuan ($28,670), with an annual growth rate of 23 percent.

The city is regarded as the origin of China's reform and opening up as well as China's modernized construction. It was the initial window of China's opening up and led the country's innovation trend. (Photos by Xinhua News Agency)

Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo

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