Why Is Futian the Center of Shenzhen?
This article is specially produced by Shenzhen Vanke.
On August 26, 2020, the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone celebrated its 40th birthday.
Forty years ago, it was just an ordinary border county town; forty years later, it has become a world-renowned international metropolis, a pioneer in a new round of reform and opening-up, and a megacity with a population exceeding 10 million and a GDP surpassing 2 trillion yuan.
In people's impressions, Shenzhen boasts picturesque landscapes surrounded by mountains and sea, towering skyscrapers, and numerous headquarters of well-known enterprises. It is also closely associated with Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening-up.
It is impossible to explore all of Shenzhen in a single day, but one district can still offer a glimpse of its brilliance.
Futian District encapsulates these "Shenzhen impressions." Shennan Avenue, known as the "First Road of Shenzhen," the Ping An Finance Centre, the "First Skyscraper of Shenzhen," and Huaqiangbei, the "First Electronics Street of China"... These landmarks may make Futian seem low-key and lesser-known, but its strength is astonishing.
In 2019, Futian's GDP reached 454.65 billion yuan, nearly comparable to some provincial-level regions. Its central area, covering just 6 square kilometers, contributes 10% of Shenzhen's total output.
As the political, economic, financial, and cultural center of Shenzhen, Futian can be considered the city's "C-position."
On the map, Futian District is located in the southern part of Shenzhen, bordering Hong Kong.
Situated south of the Tropic of Cancer, summers here last over six months, with a one-month winter being its "last stubbornness." In spring, the Lingnan stationary front brings the humid "returning south weather," while autumn is dry with little rain.
Before urban development began, this area was crisscrossed with waterways. The character "圳" in "Shenzhen" literally means "fieldside ditch."
The Shenzhen River, originating from Niuweiling in Longgang District, separates Futian from Hong Kong's New Territories before flowing into Shenzhen Bay.
South of Shenzhen Bay lies the Lingdingyang, where tidal actions deposit silt along the river mouth, forming vast muddy tidal flats that create a paradise for flora and fauna.
Along the coastline lies a dense "forest"—mangroves. These plants contain tannic acid, turning red when exposed to air after the bark is peeled. During high tide, they are partially or fully submerged, reappearing at low tide.
Their dense root systems cling to the mudflats, resisting wind and waves. Meanwhile, as seawater is saltier than freshwater, some mangrove plants excrete salt through their leaves, which dries into salt crystals under the sun or wind before returning to the sea.
This mangrove area has been designated a nature reserve, covering 367 hectares—only half the size of Bao'an Airport's flight zone—making it a pocket-sized sanctuary. It is also a rare urban nature reserve, separated from residential areas only by Binhai Boulevard and the Jinggang'ao Expressway.
Its unique ecosystem infuses the city with vitality. The mix of saltwater and freshwater creates fertile conditions, providing birds with fish, shrimp, shellfish, and crabs as food.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds traveling between East Asia and Australia choose these mudflats as a resting spot or wintering ground. Over 20 endangered bird species live here, including the black-faced spoonbill. This bird, with its distinctive spoon-shaped bill, is a Class II protected animal in China.
According to the 2020 global census data by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, fewer than 5,000 black-faced spoonbills exist worldwide, with 10% of them observed in this mangrove reserve.
In this tranquil bay, time seems to stand still. Yet outside, the world is rapidly changing.
After the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, a young and modern urban area began to emerge in Futian.
In the early days of the Special Zone, its scope only included today's Yantian, Luohu, Futian, and Nanshan areas, with a strict separation between the Special Zone and non-Special Zone by a wire fence.
As the saying goes, "To get rich, build roads first." To create an accessible and modern environment for newly arrived Hong Kong and foreign investors, Shennan Avenue—a scenic boulevard connecting eastern Luohu and western Nantou—began construction.
From its initial construction in 1979 to its full completion in 1994, Shennan Avenue evolved from an early dirt road to today's grand thoroughfare over 100 meters wide, with overpasses spanning across it and connecting dozens of north-south municipal roads, leading to countless residences and workplaces of Shenzheners.
Like Beijing's Chang'an Avenue, a host of landmark buildings and areas influencing Shenzhen's culture, environment, and economy began to flourish along Shennan Middle Road.
In the early 1980s, Futian District had not yet been established and still belonged to the "Shangbu Management Area," where Shenzhen's electronics industry began to develop.
Huaqiang Electronics Industrial Company was founded, followed by numerous electronics and telecommunications enterprises, forming the Shangbu Industrial Zone and ushering in the "Huaqiangbei Era," whose influence continues to this day.
China's first dual-cassette recorder was born here, becoming a sensation, and owning one was undoubtedly a mark of being a fashion trendsetter.
In 1990, Futian District was officially established, and Huaqiangbei entered its commercial era. The first specialized market for electronic components—Shenzhen SEG Electronics Market—emerged, alongside markets for department stores, home appliances, and clothing, transforming the area into a bustling commercial street.
Huaqiangbei gained fame. In unassuming building stalls, countless entrepreneurs planted their dreams here, giving rise to today's well-known brands like Tencent, Hasee, and TP-LINK.
While Huaqiangbei's commerce was thriving, Futian's finance was also on the rise.
In 1990, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange was established. People with spare cash became enthusiastic about securities trading, and securities firms of all sizes sprang up like mushrooms.
In 1991, Ping An Insurance moved its headquarters from Shekou to Futian. Two years later, China's first corporate-founded commercial bank—China Merchants Bank—also relocated its headquarters to Futian.
More and more people came to Shenzhen in search of their "first bucket of gold," and exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong surged. The early two border crossings were insufficient to meet demand, prompting Futian to begin constructing the Huanggang Port.
In December 1989, Huanggang Port opened. During Hong Kong's handover, the advance troops of the People's Liberation Army garrison entered Hong Kong through Huanggang Port. Today, it remains the only 24-hour passenger crossing between the mainland and Hong Kong.
In 2007, the Futian Port opened just one kilometer from Huanggang Port, connected by a 240-meter pedestrian bridge.
As the New Year bell rang in the new millennium, a nascent transportation network guided people toward a modern urban center.
The first phase of Metro Line 1 and Line 4, passing through the central district, opened simultaneously. Today, Futian remains one of the areas with the densest metro stations, with eight lines intersecting to form an extensive subway network.
In 2015, Futian Station on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Rail line opened. Located west of the central district's south plaza, it has no visible above-ground structures.
This is Asia's largest underground railway station. From here, it takes just 16 minutes by high-speed rail to reach Hong Kong's West Kowloon Station.
Gathering the forces of commerce, finance, and transportation, Futian's historical accumulation erupted in the second decade of the 21st century, with the prosperity of its central district growing day by day.
In 2015, the 599.1-meter-tall Ping An Finance Center was topped out, becoming Shenzhen's tallest building. Along with office towers like Guoxin Financial Tower, it reshaped Futian's skyline. Beneath the sky, every inch of this 6-square-kilometer land is worth its weight in gold.
A forest of steel and concrete rises here, with half of the buildings generating over 100 million yuan in tax revenue. Nearly 10,000 enterprises, large and small, sketch their blueprints for the future in this space.
According to statistics from the China Central Business District Alliance, in 2017, Futian Central District accounted for 10% of Shenzhen's GDP, with an output value per unit area reaching 40 billion yuan, ranking among the highest in the nation.
The central axis, surrounded by office towers, has become one of Shenzhen's landmarks. It records the 40-year struggle of Shenzhen's center and bears witness to the city's bold spirit: "Once you come, you are a Shenzhener."
Today, this central district carries not only wealth but also sentiment. People no longer contribute to the CBD's GDP in a one-way manner—they also gain leisure and entertainment experiences here.
The renowned Shenzhen-Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture chose the Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning as its main venue, while the recently concluded 3rd Contemporary Theatre Biennale staged remarkable performances at the Children's Palace and other venues.
At the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in the southern part of the district, thousands of exhibitions and conferences have been held, ranging from major events like the Electronics Fair, Optoelectronics Expo, and Cultural Industries Fair to more accessible ones like the Wedding Expo.
Futian Central District is becoming Shenzhen's urban living room, while Futian itself is stepping into a new era.
After the lychee tree, the mangrove was designated as Shenzhen's second city tree. Its ability to thrive in intertidal zones and purify water aligns with Shenzhen's coastal environment, symbolizing a spirit of resilience and integrity.
After experiencing both dazzling success and a steep decline, Huaqiangbei became China's first 5G lifestyle experience zone in 2019 and is now transforming again into a creative incubator.
The Huanggang Port, after 30 years of service, will be upgraded to a "2.0 version"—a passenger-only checkpoint that will serve as a transportation hub for the Greater Bay Area, further facilitating exchanges between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
Futian has become a symbol of Shenzhen and a symbol of China's reform and opening-up.
The portrait of Deng Xiaoping along Shennan Avenue, now in its fourth updated version, was once Shenzhen's most photographed landmark.
Lianhuashan Park in the northern part of the central district is Futian's largest park, occupying nearly one-third of the area.
Within its lush greenery, towering palms like Bismarckia nobilis and royal palms, along with flame trees, create a unique tropical ambiance, while oleanders, magnolias, and bougainvilleas compete in beauty every spring.
In 2000, a 6-meter-tall, 7-ton bronze statue of Deng Xiaoping was erected at the park's summit plaza, depicting him striding forward with his clothes billowing in the wind.
Following the gaze of this great man, one might reflect on the 40 tumultuous years during which countless builders and dreamers from all corners of China arrived here, becoming pioneers in their fields and creators of wealth.
Every Shenzhener is one of them.
Vanke Group, one of Shenzhen's "original five stocks," is set to develop a new urban industry-life complex on the former site of the Samsung Industrial Zone in the northeast of the central district, aiming to create a futuristic "Central Business Living District."
The area enjoys convenient transportation with direct access to the city's arterial roads and is adjacent to Metro Line 10 and Line 24. The pedestrian system seamlessly connects Lotus Hill Park and Bijia Mountain Park to the project's office and residential zones via footbridges, ensuring smooth passage for pedestrians.
The district is divided into living spaces and urban spaces along its east-west axis, unified by a central cultural green corridor. The project inherits the office functions of the business district, gathering high-tech, finance, and other industrial clusters, while also providing amenities such as leisure and entertainment blocks, a nine-year一贯制 school, and supporting dormitories to enable a vibrant lifestyle.
This will become the heart of Futian, serving as another pair of eyes for the city to witness both its history and future, observing every step of its progress.
At forty, one reaches maturity, but for a city, it remains youthful and dynamic. As Shenzhen presents its 40-year答卷 of reform and opening-up, we still anticipate its future evolution. As the "C位担当," Futian will showcase a more diverse industrial ecosystem and richer, more convenient配套设施, ushering in its "2.0 era."
Because it is young, it is always changing, always brimming with vitality.