Shantou Special Economic Zone has been rated as one of the "Top 50 Comprehensive Cities in China", "Top Ten Cities with Excellent Hard Environment for Investment in China", and "National Sanitary City". Ranked second in the assessment.

Main achievements since the establishment of Shantou Special Economic Zone

Shantou Special Economic Zone was officially established in November 1981, starting from 1.6 square kilometers and expanded to 52.6 square kilometers in November 1984. In November of that year, it expanded again to 234 square kilometers. Since its establishment, the special zone started on a deserted beach. By emancipating the mind and pioneering, and relying on hard work and hard work, it has achieved great results. Its scale has grown day by day, and it has continuously radiated and driven the development of the entire city. Shantou has made remarkable achievements in economic and social development.

(1) Economic strength is enhanced. In 2009, Shantou City achieved a gross domestic product (GDP) of 111.651 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.6 percentage points. The number of patent applications in Shantou ranks fourth among prefecture-level cities in the province, with 10 Chinese famous brand products and 30 national inspection-free products. Guangdong There are 78 provincial famous brand products; 12 nationally known trademarks and 131 famous trademarks in Guangdong Province. The famous trademarks account for about 10 of the total number in the province, ranking second among prefecture-level cities in the province. Energy conservation and emission reduction work has achieved preliminary results. In 2006, energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value was 1.13 tons of standard coal, a year-on-year decrease of 0.438; energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP was 0.661 tons of standard coal, a year-on-year decrease of 4.38, ranking the fourth lowest in Guangdong Province. Especially in recent years, Shantou's economic development has entered a new starting line. GDP increased from 49.843 billion yuan in 2003 to 85.015 billion yuan in 2007, with an average annual growth rate of 11.2%; port cargo throughput increased from 14.7 million tons in 2003 to 23 million tons in 2007, with an average annual growth rate of 10.8%; the total export volume increased from 2003 to 2007. It grew from US$1.892 billion in 2007 to US$3.912 billion in 2007, with a total of US$15.015 billion in five years, an average annual growth of 20%; actual foreign direct investment absorption grew from US$52 million in 2003 to US$172 million in 2007, an increase of 2.3 times. . (2) Urban construction is changing with each passing day. As a central city in eastern Guangdong, Shantou's infrastructure construction is improving day by day, its urban planning and construction management level has improved rapidly, and its functions are relatively complete. It has formed a modern three-dimensional transportation network of sea, land and air with seaports and airports as the center and high-grade highways and railways as the skeleton. . The port throughput increased from 3.36 million tons in 1981 to 23 million tons in 2007. The built-up area of ??the central city expanded from 7.81 square kilometers in 1981 to 118.06 square kilometers in 2007.

(3) Opening up to the outside world continues to expand. In 2007, the city's total foreign trade export volume was US$3.912 billion, 14.6 times that of 1981. From 1981 to 2007, the city's cumulative export volume was US$45.995 billion, and its actual absorption of foreign direct investment was US$7.271 billion. The field of foreign economic exchanges and cooperation has expanded, and our city has established trade relations with 180 countries and regions.

(4) Economic system reform is gradually deepened. The reform of government administrative agencies and the administrative approval system are proceeding in an orderly manner, the public finance framework and a new state-owned assets management system have been initially established, the reform of the investment system and the reform of the grain circulation system have been steadily advanced, and the transformation from a planned economic system to a socialist market economic system has been basically realized. transformation. (5) Social undertakings continue to develop and people's living standards continue to improve. The gross enrollment rate of junior high schools has exceeded 100, and free compulsory education has been fully implemented in rural areas. It has been listed as a comprehensive pilot city for provincial cultural system reform, and its medical and health development level remains at the forefront of prefecture-level cities in the province. The per capita disposable income of urban residents increased from 397 yuan in 1981 to 11,690 yuan in 2007; the per capita net income of rural residents increased from 295 yuan in 1981 to 4,515 yuan in 2007; the balance of urban and rural residents' savings deposits increased from 125 million yuan in 1981 yuan increased to 84.361 billion yuan in 2007.

The main advantages of the development of Shantou Special Economic Zone

First, the hometown of overseas Chinese is rich in overseas Chinese. Shantou is a famous hometown of overseas Chinese in the country. There are 3.35 million overseas Chinese, Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan living in more than 40 countries and regions around the world. Chaoshan people have always been hard-working, enterprising, and adventurous. Among Chaoshan people, especially overseas, a large number of business tycoons and social elites have emerged, with great influence at home and abroad. Overseas Chinese capital and wisdom are a great asset and the most important resource for attracting investment. More than 80% of the foreign capital directly absorbed by Shantou after its reform and opening up was overseas Chinese capital.

Second, the private economy is relatively developed. Shantou's private economy started relatively early and developed relatively well. In the early days of reform and opening up, Shantou Special Administrative Region took the lead in proposing the "Four Releases" (opening up horizons, relaxing policies, boldly experimenting, and letting go) policy, and implemented the "Three Ones Up" (one, two, and three industries, all large and medium-sized enterprises) , collective economy, horizontal joint economy, individual and private economy together), let go of the development of the private economy. Our country's private investment accounts for more than 60% of the city's investment, the number of private enterprises accounts for more than 90% of the city's total number of enterprises, and the output value of private industries above designated size accounts for about 60% of the total industrial output value above designated size. The pace of listing of enterprises is accelerating, and independent innovation capabilities are enhanced. .

Third, the location conditions are relatively good. Shantou is close to the international golden waterway of the Western Pacific. The urban area is 187 nautical miles away from Hong Kong and 180 nautical miles away from Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It has always been the distribution center for products in eastern Guangdong, southeastern Jiangxi, and southwestern Fujian. It is also an important channel for the mainland to go abroad. The Xiamen-Shenzhen Railway is under construction, Shantou Airport is expected to open to the outside world, and the pace of port construction is accelerating. With the fundamental improvement of transportation infrastructure, the location advantage will be enhanced. At the same time, Shantou is the closest city in Guangdong Province to Taiwan. Nan'ao Island Port is only 102 nautical miles away from Magong Port in Penghu, Taiwan. The two places are closely related to each other in terms of people, culture and business. There is huge potential to strengthen Shantou-Taiwan business cooperation.

Fourth, certain development conditions have been accumulated. After thirty years of reform and opening up, Shantou's comprehensive economic strength has increased, providing relatively solid material support for accelerated economic and social development. Moreover, the current economic development maintains an upward momentum. From 2002 to 2007, the regional GDP increased by 5.7, 8.8, 11.1, 11.3, 11.6 and 13 respectively. In 2007, the GDP growth rate was the fastest in the past ten years. The local fiscal general budget Revenue growth was the fastest since 1993. At the same time, since the reform and opening up, we have successively built a number of transportation infrastructure such as Shenzhen-Shantou Expressway, Shantou-Fen Expressway, and Guangmei-Shantou Railway, forming a modern three-dimensional transportation system of sea, land and air with seaports and airports as the center and high-grade highways and railways as the backbone. network. The foundations in science and technology, education, talent, information, and commerce are relatively good, and the city’s agglomeration and radiation capabilities are strong.