Wang Weilan
HARLEY SEYEDIN, president of the Guangzhou-based American Chamber of Commerce in South China, said the area's rapid economic growth and the convenience of its traffic system had been the main reasons behind the fact his chamber has become the fastest growing American chamber of commerce in the world and the largest foreign chamber of commerce in South China.
"We have 900 members in South China, about 150 based in Shenzhen," Seyedin said.
The American Chamber of Commerce is one of a dozen foreign chambers of commerce which have set up offices in the city, eyeing trade and investment opportunities in Shenzhen and its neighboring Pearl River Delta cities, including Hong Kong.
Seyedin regularly commutes between Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
"Most of the time it takes one-and-a-half-hour's drive from Guangzhou to Shenzhen. I also take trains to travel between Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The convenience helps us greatly expand business connections and promote investment," he said.
Seyedin is also looking forward to the planned underground railway station in downtown Shenzhen. Once the station opens to traffic, it will take only 27 minutes to travel from downtown Shenzhen to Kowloon in Hong Kong, and 33 minutes from Shenzhen to Guangzhou.
For Singaporean Jerry Gan, general manager of the Singapore-funded serviced residence Frasers Place, the city's glamor lies in not only its easy access to neighboring cities but improved living standards.
"With plenty of choices for dinning, shopping and recreational activities, the expat community in Shenzhen is growing. So our market is growing too," said Gan, whose hotel caters mainly to foreigners, with about 80 percent being long-term tenants who live for over three months.
As a hotel insider, Gan found that the city's restaurants, hotels and shopping centers have been able to keep up with the city's pace of development. And the different cuisines, variety of shopping conveniences and international standard accommodation have also increased the attraction of the city.