Strength in research and development of new technology and a good environment for industry have made the high-tech industry one of the pillars of Shenzhen. 

Output Value

The total output value of high-tech products made in Shenzhen reached 850.781 billion yuan in 2009. Of the figure, 59.5 percent, or 506.21 billion yuan, was contributed by high-tech products with independent intellectual property rights, up 0.4 percentage points from the previous year.

R&D Power

More than 30,000 local firms are engaged in the research and development of new technology and products, with 1,044 recognized State-level companies. There had been more than 985,800 technical professionals in the city by the end of 2009. The expenditure on research and development accounted for 3.6 percent of the city's GDP in 2009.

Research Results and Patents

A total of 234 items of scientific research results were registered in the city in 2009. By the end of the year, 42,279 patent applications were filed, up 16.6 percent from the previous year. Patent authorizations reached 25,894, up 37.7 percent from the previous year. 

High-tech Industrial Park

Construction of the Shenzhen High-tech Industrial Park started in September 1996, with a planned area of 11.5 square kilometers. The project was listed as one of six "world leading high-tech industrial parks" in China. Today, there are firms forming mature industry chains in telecommunications, computer services, software and biochemistry. 

In 2009, the total output value realized by firms in the park reached 254.97 billion yuan, up 13.3 percent from the previous year. 

Virtual University Park

The Shenzhen Virtual University Park was built in 1999. The major functions of the park are to train and introduce first-class professional talent, integrate industrial and research resources, establish key research labs and doctoral workshops, and promote cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen research centers. So far, the park has pooled the strength of 52 prestigious universities from home and abroad. It has educated more than 108,000 talented professionals, including 28,000 master's degree and doctorate holders, and fostered more than 600 start-up companies with 240 patents gaining authorization from the State.   

Hi-Tech Fair

Cosponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, National Development and reform Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Ministry of Agriculture, State Intellectual Property Office, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Shenzhen Municipal Government, the China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) began in 1999 and has been held each year since. On average, more than a half million people attend the fair annually with the trade volume surpassing US$13 billion each year. The 12th CHTF will be held in November 2010.

(Web site: http://www.chtf.com)