Travelogue: Tech trailblazers and next-gen design in Shenzhen
The bold and bustling city of Shenzhen was once little more than a cluster of fishing and farming villages. But 40 years ago, it was designated the country's first special economic zone, propelling the city into the 21st century at lightning-fast speed.
Today, Shenzhen is one of the country's biggest and most influential financial hubs – a haven for start-ups and economic trailblazers, and an incubator for next-gen design and technological innovation. In fact, Shenzhen is often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of China."
This modern metropolis is surprisingly young – just four decades old. /CGTN Photo
Solution for Urban Congestion
Companies like BYD are leading the charge in technological innovation that has become synonymous with Shenzhen. BYD designed SkyRail – a fully integrated, totally unmanned, state-of-the-art straddle-type monorail system – as a solution to urban congestion. BYD is also China's biggest electric vehicle manufacturer. Speaking of electric vehicles, Shenzhen is blazing a trail in sustainable development, becoming the world's first city with an all-electric bus fleet, following in the footsteps of its all-electric taxi fleet.
Electric vehicles can go a long way in reducing the world's carbon emissions. /CGTN Photo
World Think Tank
Everyone has heard the phrase "Made in China." After all, a jaw-dropping portion of the world's goods are, indeed, made on Chinese soil. However, the past decade has produced a marked shift in emphasis from "Made in China" to "Created in China" – a much more desirable label of global think tank than a sweatshop. Much of that shift happened – and continues to happen – in Shenzhen. Companies like Domotics, a small but budding company focused on home automation, are producing state-of-the-art technology that is shaping Shenzhen's identity as a hotbed of technological advancement.
New and incredible technologies are coming out of Shenzhen all the time. /CGTN Photo
All Things Drone
Founded in a university dorm room in 2006, DJI is now the world's largest consumer drone company and is headquartered in Shenzhen. In 2017, its CEO became Asia's youngest tech billionaire. The DJI Mavic Air, a highly portable and lightweight contraption, is a recent launch that features a 4K camera, hand gesture controls and 3D environment sensing. It's just one of the many influential corporations based in Shenzhen, along with powerhouses such as Tencent, Anker and ZTE.
If you've ever used a consumer drone, there's a good chance it was from DJI. /CGTN Photo
Explore Shenzhen with Min-Zhui Lee, host of Travelogue on CGTN. The show airs on Sunday, April 28, at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., next Monday at 2:00 a.m. and Thursday at 1:30 p.m. (Beijing Time).