This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. In the past four decades, Shenzhen has evolved from a small underdeveloped village in the country’s border area into a metropolis with international influence, and grown from the pioneer of China’s reform and opening-up into the pilot demonstration area in the new era. Throughout the journey, innovation has always been at its heart. Shenzhen’s history of development is written with innovation. It has driven the city’s growth and created a miracle of urban development in the world’s history. Being the pivot of innovation-driven development, creative design has blossomed in Shenzhen, with creative activities cropping up in various sectors, including graphic design, industrial design, architectural design and fashion design. “Shenzhen Design”, as a powerful driving force, is leading the rapid development of the city’s cultural and creative industries and contributing to the cultural confidence of Shenzhen.

Twelve years ago, on November 21, 2008, Shenzhen – being the first city in China and the first city in a developing country – was designated by UNESCO as “City of Design”, and became a member city of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). UNESCO said, “Thanks to the great support of Shenzhen Municipal Government, Shenzhen has established a strong footing in the design industry. Shenzhen enjoys a high reputation for its vibrant graphic design and industrial design sectors, fast-developing digital content and online interactive design, and package design featuring advanced technology and environmental-friendly portfolio.” Since the designation, design has been an engine of innovation, continuously generating vitality and contributing productive forces to the development miracle of Shenzhen.

Remarks by Wang Qiang, Member of the Standing Committee and Director General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, at the Opening Ceremony of 2020 Shenzhen Design Week and Global Design Award (Online). Photo credit: Organizing Committee of the Shenzhen Design Week

Standing at the new historical starting point, the city is undertaking even more important missions. Shenzhen will seize the great historic development opportunity brought by the “driving forces of the two areas”, namely the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and the Pilot Demonstration Area of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, to realize the transition of its manufacturing-dependent economic development towards creativity-based growth by leveraging the power of design, fuel the high-quality development of Shenzhen’s creative design and build Shenzhen into a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity at a faster pace, so as to bring Shenzhen Design and Chinese Design to the world.

We hope that the magazine, City of Design Shenzhen, will reflect what people think in this era, highlight Shenzhen’s ambitions and aspirations, and document the city’s glories and dreams. The magazine will serve as the platform that facilitates mutually beneficial exchanges and win-win cooperations in the global design community to explore together a more sustainable path leading to the future of humankind!

——Wang Qiang