Shavkat Mirziyoyev (2nd R), president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Wang Chuanfu (2nd L), chairman of BYD, communicate at the company's headquarters in Pingshan District on Jan. 25. The Uzbek president was the first head of state to visit Shenzhen in 2024. 

Shekou customs officers inspect goods to be exported at a warehouse in Qianhai on Nov. 27.China News Service

Visitors take an interest in drones on display at the 26th China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen on Nov. 14.Xinhua

A passenger checks in before boarding the inaugural direct flight from Shenzhen to Mexico City at the Shenzhen airport on May 11.Xinhua

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's first China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) international multimodal cargo train is seen during a launch ceremony July 4.China News Service

Editor's note:

As we reflect on 2024, Shenzhen remains committed to advancing high-level opening up, actively integrating into the new development pattern, and attracting foreign investment. Starting today, Shenzhen Daily and EyeShenzhen will launch "2024 in Review," a special series highlighting the city's progress across various fields.

1. Foreign trade

Shenzhen's foreign trade has surpassed 4 trillion yuan for the first time, with exports expected to lead among mainland cities for the 32nd consecutive year.

From January to November, the city's foreign trade reached 4.1 trillion yuan, an increase of 17.4% year on year. Imports amounted to 1.5 trillion yuan, up 19.8%, while exports reached 2.6 trillion yuan, increasing by 16%. 

Cross-border e-commerce trade grew by 19%. Exports of BYD new energy vehicles reached 428,000 units, a 76% increase, reaching 90 countries or regions and 400 cities worldwide.

2. Entry and exit

Shenzhen's 15 ports experienced a surge in passenger and freight flows, with its 11 passenger ports handling a total of 240 million trips across the border in 2024, a 45.6% increase year on year. 

All the passenger ports implemented visa-free transit for overseas visitors. Throughout the year, Shenzhen had seen 5.4 million overseas visitors exiting and entering the city, an 89.3% increase year on year. Among them, 2.76 million were inbound visitors, doubling from the previous year. The city opened 19 new international and regional air cargo routes in 2024. Its network, totaling 89 routes, connects to 63 cities worldwide.

The Shenzhen airport handled a total of 61.47 million passenger trips, a 16.6% year-on-year increase, with 5.18 million made by international passengers, up 108.7%. The airport's cargo throughput reached 1.88 million tons, a 17.6% increase. Shenzhen Port handled 33.38 million TEUs, an 11.7% increase. 

3. Foreign delegations

Throughout the year, 453 foreign delegations visited Shenzhen, including 15 state-level dignitaries and 117 groups of ministerial-level officials.

Five cities — Tashkent, Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Vienna, and San Francisco — established a friendly exchange city relationship with Shenzhen each, bringing the total number to 95. The number of sister ports increased to 28, covering 59 countries across five continents.

The United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Sustainable Development Innovation Lab and three international industrial and standards organizations have been added, bringing the total number of international organizations in Shenzhen to 11. 

Shenzhen hosted high-level international events such as the global Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) conference and the China-Africa Private Economic Cooperation Forum, further enhancing its participation and influence in international affairs.

4. Investment growth

Shenzhen guided local companies in expanding their presence in global markets. From January to November, the city's actual outbound foreign investment reached US$11.44 billion, with new contracted projects amounting to US$10.24 billion.

On Dec. 6, the 2024 Shenzhen Global Investment Promotion Conference, themed "Openness, Innovation, and Shared Future," was held at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District.

The conference attracted over 700 companies from 33 countries and regions, and over 400 projects involving 900 billion yuan were signed. More than 200 activities that targeted Fortune Global 500 companies, multinationals, champion enterprises, and high-growth company lists were held to introduce influential flagship projects.

Shenzhen organized more than 62 economic and trade exchanges, including in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan. 

5. Trade cooperation with HK and Macao

From January to November, the city's trade with Hong Kong and Macao increased by 12.2% and 99%, respectively. The number of Hong Kong and Macao-based enterprises investing in Shenzhen increased by 5,990.

Shenzhen-based firms' actual investments in Hong Kong grew by 20.9% year on year and by 43.6% in Macao.

The implementation of "multiple entries with one visa" has been resumed, with a total of 150 million trips by Hong Kong and Macao residents through Shenzhen ports throughout the year. The Shenzhen Bay Port's "no documents required" channel sees an average of 30,000 trips daily.

6. China-Europe trains

The first China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan cross-border multimodal cargo train has been launched, with a total of 19 outbound China-Europe rail routes now in operation, reaching 44 countries across Europe and Asia. This has assisted 6,700 companies expand globally.

A "four-hour air travel zone" connecting major cities along the Silk Road and a "12-hour air travel zone" linking major cities worldwide have been established. Additionally, 20 international passenger routes have been launched or expanded, including those to Cairo, Tehran, and Budapest, as well as eight new international cargo routes under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), connecting cities such as Riyadh, Doha, and Ashgabat.

From January to November, the total import and export value with Belt and Road Initiative participant countries reached 1.43 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21.5%. Exports amounted to 888.18 billion yuan, up 28.3%, and imports totaled 541.29 billion yuan, an increase of 11.7%.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

♦ Foreign trade surpassed 4 trillion yuan for the first time

♦ A surge in passenger and freight flows

♦ Deepened ties with overseas counterparts and international organizations

♦ Thriving outbound and inbound foreign investment

♦ Rapid growth in trade with Hong Kong and Macao

♦ Marked growth in trade with BRI participant countries