One of China's first four special economic zones, the seaside city of Zhuhai in Guangdong province has developed from a remote, small town into a modern garden-style boomtown in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area over the past four decades.

Behind this were innovation and highlights on economic development and environmental protection.

According to the local statistics bureau, Zhuhai's GDP increased from 261 million yuan ($37.74 million) in 1980 when the special economic zone was launched to nearly 343.59 billion yuan in 2019. The annual inflation-adjusted GDP growth rate is 17.4 percent on average.

Zhuhai had been a town focused on agriculture and fishery industry. But when the central government announced it would become a SEZ on Aug 26, 1980, Zhuhai welcomed unprecedented opportunities.

Its transport system has developed rapidly over the four decades. High-speed railways connect Zhuhai to more than 50 cities nationwide. Meanwhile, Zhuhai Airport serves more than 10 million passengers yearly. Zhuhai Port realizes annual throughput capacity of over 100 million tons with shipping routes to regions such as South Asia, the Middle East and South America.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which became operational in 2018, has aided connectivity among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao and promoted the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.