Shaoxing entrepreneurs rent a 800-square-meter billboard to publicize the 2020 Shenzhen Shaoxing Week in the Huaqiangbei commercial area of Shenzhen on Dec 5. [Photo/shaoxing.com.cn]

The 2020 Shenzhen Shaoxing Week recently began in Shenzhen, Guangdong province on Dec 5. It will run until Dec 8.

The event will consist of a keynote conference, a tour of Shenzhen, an exhibition on Shaoxing culture, and seven activities related to the integrated circuit and biomedicine industries, Keqiao district's textile industry, the digital industry, World Pearl Town, talent recruitment, culture and tourism, and the AI industry.

Shaoxing is home to a rich ancient culture. In 490 BC, Fan Li, a senior official of the Yue Kingdom, built a capital city which eventually came to be known as Shaoxing. The city has stood for 2,500 years and remains intact in its original location.

In 2019, Shaoxing's GDP reached 578.1 billion yuan ($81.53 billion) and its foreign trade was valued at 245.9 billion yuan. The city is home to 1,800 national high-tech enterprises, 445 of which were formed in 2020.

Shenzhen, a leader in reform and opening-up, is currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China's first special economic zone.

Over the past few decades, the southern Chinese city has transformed from a small fishing village to a modern megacity with a population of over 13 million.

Shenzhen Shaoxing Week was first launched in 2019, and the 2020 edition of the event is expected to open a new chapter in cooperation between the two cities.