Shenzhen

Shenzhen was among the first Special Economic Zones (SEZ) opened in China in 1978 under the influence of late leader Deng Xiaoping

Shenzhen has seen its population and activity develop at a very fast pace since the opening of the SEZ, with a population raising to 5 million. Among the reasons for this development is the cost of labor, substantially lower than in neighboring Hong Kong.

According to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, in 2002, 7200 Hong Kong residents commute daily to Shenzhen for work, and 2200 students from Shenzhen commute to school in Hong Kong. Though the two Chinese cities were nearby, daily commuters still need to pass through custom and immigration checkpoint because travelling between the SEZ and SAR are restricted.

Sister city of Brisbane, Australia since June 1992.