Shantou, as the first of the four special economic zones during the reform and opening up period, has little advantage in port resources because of its geographical location close to Zhuhai and Macao. Secondly, Shantou, as the ancestral home of Chaoshan people, is not tolerant of foreign population, resulting in brain drain. According to the classification of China's cities, Shantou's GDP has been the same as that of prefecture-level cities for several years in a row, without great promotion and economic benefits, and it has withdrawn from the circle of special economic zones.