Shenzhen, as a modern city, is only 28 years old. In 1980, Deng Xiao Ping, then China’ s leader, said, “I want a city here!” The fishing village of 300,000 was transformed into a special economic zone after the army corp of engineers co-ordinated the building of what came to be the city with the fastest growing economy.
From 300,000 to 12 million in 28 years, it’s staggering to consider. Buildings are now coming down, making way for the new. A block in my downtown area is being torn down (above) to make way for something else. My beloved computer market has been relocated across the street. It took a day of wandering (and the almost impulse buy of a 22-inch monitor) to find my favorite vendors.
Captured: March 29, 2008.
That is completely mind-blowing. Even considering 300 000 to be a fishing village (!!)… let alone growing that fast in a few decades. How can the infrastructure keep up?
marianne’s last blog post..Too Damned Cuddly
I was talking to Mrs. Stevo’s uni prof a few years back.
Prof: This is a small city, only 600,000 people.
Me: My city in Canada is one of the larger ones, it has 300,000.
Different countries, different numbers.