2011 SU Update: Shenzhen challenges to be the City of the Future

City view of the Shenzhen Metropolis (C. Pierre/FISU)

SHENZHEN – Russian FISU-AIPS Young Reporter Anna Fedyakina mused on the rise and shine of Shenzhen. Read her story below.

Coming to Shenzhen for the first time, most probably each of us read a short article about the history of the city. From it we could have found out that 30 years ago it used to be a small village for fishermen. And we took it as a fact. But just let yourself 1 minute to compare this city with the most famous metropolis in the world.

Just to understand the extent. The territory of Shenzhen is 2,050 square km, population – about 10 million. Let’s take a look atNew York City. Territory: 1,214 square km, population – about 8 million. Can anyone imagine that NYC could have become what it is now in a 30 years period of time? And Shenzhen actually did.

I would not have paid attention to this without having a small talk with Chinese businessmen this morning. “When I came here, I couldn’t recognize the city. It was 11 years ago, when I came here for the first time. Shenzhen was completely different” – said Ryan Chuang, my morning interlocutor. I guess every Chinese, who saw Shenzhen some years ago would feel the same impression of something incredible and unmeasured.

I know how the process of building goes in my country, and I would say that it is impossible to build such a city in 30 years. And to build 100 subway stations just during the preparation for Universiade. So how did they do it? Isn’t it interesting?

I got a little clue during my trip to the UniversiadeVillage. In each train there are screens that show news. But some of them show how the subway was built. Why do they show this? – Because it is really something one nation can be proud of.

Shenzhen started as an opponent ofHong Kong. But from now it can really be an opponent to any metropolis of the world. It might take on the challenge to be the city of the future.

(Source: Anna Fedyakina, FISU-AIPS Young Reporter/Russia)