6. Shenzhen
In 1979, Shenzhen was little more than a Chinese fishing village, but 33 years later it is a gleaming metropolis, the clearest and most direct beneficiary of Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms. Shenzhen was the first city Deng selected as a special economic zone, and today it is a manufacturing center rivaling Guangzhou and home to some of the world's largest electronics factories, including the infamous Foxconn City. In recent years, Shenzhen has tried to retool its economy to move up the value chain -- to focus more on gadget design rather than manufacturing -- and labor costs have begun to increase in China's coastal cities, which have traditionally housed most of the country's manufacturing facilities.
Above, an elevated view of Shenzhen's downtown area at the Yantian District on June 29, 2010.
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