China's tech capital keeps building
Shenzhen added about 259,000 residents in 2025 to reach 18.25 million, and its economy grew 5.5% to ¥3.87 trillion. It is home base for Tencent, BYD, DJI and Honor, and those companies keep building here: DJI moved into its Foster + Partners DJI Sky City towers in 2022, Tencent unveiled plans in 2023 for a Shenzhen campus for more than 23,000 employees, and OPPO is building a 200 m headquarters designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.
Foreign investment is picking up too: 15,906 foreign-invested companies were set up in 2025, up 63.3%. The port handled 35.4 million TEU of containers, the 49.7 km Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link opened in June 2024 and cut the trip across the Pearl River Delta to under 30 minutes, and Qianhai's youth innovation hub now hosts more than 9,000 Hong Kong firms.
The numbers
18.25MPermanent residents at the end of 2025, up about 259,000 in a year.
Shenzhen 2025 Statistical Communiqué, Shenzhen Municipal Government (2026)
¥3.87TGDP in 2025, about US$557 billion, up 5.5%.
Shenzhen Daily via Futian District, Jan 2026
35.4MTwenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU) through the port in 2025, up 6%.
Shenzhen 2025 Statistical Communiqué, Shenzhen Municipal Government (2026)
15,906New foreign-invested companies set up in 2025, up 63.3%.
Shenzhen 2025 Statistical Communiqué, Shenzhen Municipal Government (2026)
Who’s building here
DJI HeadquartersOpened its global headquarters, the two-tower DJI Sky City by Foster + Partners, in Nanshan in December 2022.
Wikipedia, citing DJI (Dec 2022)
Tencent CampusUnveiled plans in December 2023 for Tencent Helix, a Shenzhen campus of nearly 500,000 sq m for more than 23,000 employees.
Wikipedia, citing CNN (Dec 2023)
OPPO HeadquartersBuilding a 200 m, 185,000 sq m headquarters in Shenzhen designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, started in 2020.
Zaha Hadid Architects, OPPO Headquarters
Honor HeadquartersBecame an independent phone maker headquartered in Futian after Huawei sold the brand in November 2020.
Wikipedia, citing AP (Nov 2020)
What’s driving it
Foreign money. Actual foreign direct investment reached ¥50.5 billion in 2025, and new foreign-invested firms rose 63.3%.
Shenzhen 2025 Statistical Communiqué, Shenzhen Municipal Government (2026)
Across the delta. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link opened in June 2024, putting Zhongshan less than 30 minutes away.
Wikipedia, citing South China Morning Post (Jun 2024)
The Hong Kong bridgehead. Qianhai's youth innovation hub hosts 9,055 Hong Kong-registered firms and has incubated 691 Hong Kong startups.
Wikipedia, Qianhai (2024 data)
Still adding people. The city grew by about 259,000 permanent residents in 2025.
Shenzhen 2025 Statistical Communiqué, Shenzhen Municipal Government (2026)