Speed – This is the buzzword frequently used to describe Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province, by a group of German media professionals who visited the city to attend the 16th Media Forum China-Germany and a Media Study Tour from November 10 to 13, the first China-foreign bilateral media dialogue held in Shenzhen after it was announced as the host city of the 2026 APEC meeting.
That is indeed an apt term to describe the remarkable rise of Shenzhen – from a small fishing village to a global metropolis and economic and innovation powerhouse in just over four decades. Today, Shenzhen rises in a forest of sleek skyscrapers, home to world-leading tech startups and a magnet for global talent.
“Today's Shenzhen is hailed by the media as APEC's ‘third city’ in China, China's ‘Silicon Valley’, and the ‘Southern Tech Hub’, and boasts a series of new city calling cards,” Zhang Ling, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and head of the Publicity Department, said during the media forum, adding that Shenzhen stands as China’s most innovative and vibrant city: a global gateway of openness, a green and low-carbon haven for living, and a civilized metropolis that cherishes virtue and strives for goodness.
China announced earlier this month that Shenzhen will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2026, making Shenzhen the third Chinese city to have hosted the meeting. Through this crucial event, the city’s impressive innovation and development story is set to impress more people from around the world, and speed is a key feature of that story, as the German media representatives pointed out.
‘Burst with energy’
“Shenzhen is a remarkably lively and modern city – everyone here moves with a clear purpose, works at a brisk pace, and embraces efficiency, making it burst with energy,” a forum participant told the Global Times.
"Seeing how they work and the projects they’re focused on is very impressive – it’s a great example of the city’s spirit, which is built on innovation and speed," another forum guest told the Global Times after watching Engine AI’s humanoid robots perform kung fu and kickboxing.
Participants of the study tour, mostly journalists and editors from mainstream German news organizations, were wowed by the demonstration and took numerous photos and videos.
Cen Zibin, new media manager at Engine AI, explained how the robot stands out by mimicking human kinetic movements and described how it even served as a salesperson in an offline store.
“They [German visitors] took lots of notes and asked many questions about the robot itself, application scenarios and long-term support plans,” Cen said, impressed by their interest in new technologies and prudent attitude.
The conversations took place in a compact room in a high-rise in Nanshan district of Shenzhen. Every day, new ideas emerge from countless similar rooms across such high-rises, continually fueling Shenzhen’s innovation.
‘Cutting-edge development’
Standing before the window wall at the grand hall of the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA) headquarters building, one can see Hong Kong and Macao on a clear day.
Founded in 1983, the institute embodies Shenzhen’s opening-up, economic experimentation, cross-border cooperation and international vision, said Chi Wenhui of the SCIA.
To date, its arbitration and mediation services have been extended to 146 countries and regions, and its panel of arbitrators covers 129 countries and regions.
At present, nine out of 15 members of the SCIA’s Third Council are from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions or foreign countries, and their expertise spans diverse legal fields, the Global Times learned on site.
In 2024, the total amount in dispute in newly accepted commercial arbitration cases at the SCIA reached 142 billion yuan ($20 billion), with the largest single international case exceeding 30 billion yuan, according to the SCIA’s website.
“This amount demonstrated the impartiality, credibility and reputation of the SCIA,” Chi told the Global Times.
The German media representatives were also impressed by Shenzhen’s “smart city initiative,” including its digital twin technology for real-time monitoring of critical infrastructure, which “showcased the city’s cutting-edge development,” one participant said.
As a “smart” city, Shenzhen has introduced AI across multiple scenarios, and the SCIA is no exception – each arbitration room is equipped with a real-time transcription system that records testimony quickly and accurately. With such a system, involving parties can verify testimony immediately, and once the hearing concludes, the records are ready for arbitrators to further process the case.
Yet the internal design of this modern building incorporates traditional Chinese elements, including the concept of “round heaven and square land,” symbolizing the belief that “nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.”
‘A distinct vibe’
The SCIA building, along with a large area of adjacent blocs, has risen over the past few years on reclaimed land, much like how Shenzhen was born from a fishing village more than four decades ago.
"I was here six years ago, and many buildings didn’t exist back then. The massive development and strong entrepreneurial spirit in Shenzhen over the past years are truly remarkable," a German study tour participant told the Global Times.
Another participant shared several amazing moments from the study tour: "We visited Qianhai E-Hub, where one can wear a tiny ring control module and an electronic hand mimics precise human movements. We saw AI translator that can immediately turn Chinese into German, English, or other languages – that was pretty impressive."
Meanwhile, drone food delivery at the Shenzhen Talent Park showed how technology can improve daily life.
Mo Weixuan, manager of Qianhai E-Hub, an international innovation and entrepreneurship platform, told the Global Times they have been actively connecting local companies with overseas resources, with Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East as three key directions.
“Seeing is believing,” Mo said, adding that the media study tour offers foreign visitors a valuable opportunity to experience and understand Shenzhen firsthand.
A German participant visiting Shenzhen for the second time after a maiden trip in 2019, summed up his stay by saying: “The city is very lively, with many new areas and a dense population – it has a distinct vibe. It’s the ‘Shenzhen Speed’ that sets it apart.”
Source: Global Times:
Company: Global Times
Contact Person: Anna Li
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://globaltimes.cn
City: Beijing
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