Nearly 200 Chinese and foreign guests and journalists, including diplomats from 29 countries and representatives from international organizations in China, gathered in Beijing on June 21 for a themed promotional event presented by Shenzhen celebrating its remarkable growth over the past 40 years as a miracle in the world development history.

Jointly hosted by the Beijing Service Bureau of Diplomatic Missions and the Publicity Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC, the event consisted of three parts: Dragon Boat Festival cultural experience, a "Shenzhen Stories" themed exhibition and performance of the Shenzhen-produced dance drama "Wing Chun."

The exhibition featured some 20 famous Shenzhen brands such as Huawei, BYD and UBTECH, aiming to tell "Shenzhen's Stories" by creating an immersive atmosphere with Shenzhen elements and integrating the application scenarios of Shenzhen products.

In a speech, Zhang Ling, head of the Publicity Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC, said over the past four decades, Shenzhen has transformed from a small remote border town to the core engine city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a global capital of design and a global model city for reading.

"These dream chasers from all over the country have contributed to the miraculous development of Shenzhen over the past 40 years," she said.

Marc Hübsch, Luxembourg ambassador to China, said he felt the city's vitality and unlimited potential at the event. According to him, as the forefront of China's reform and opening-up, Shenzhen epitomizes China's rapid development. From the progress of Shenzhen, one can experience the city's spirit of openness and the strong driving force behind China's economic growth.

"The 'Shenzhen Stories' exhibition features Shenzhen's remarkable achievements in modernization, and the historical narrative of the 'Wing Chun' drama showcases the connotation and denotation of the Chinese path to modernization from different perspectives," Li Li, director of the Beijing Service Bureau of Diplomatic Missions, said.

"I would say that it [Shenzhen] is a place which is constantly changing, which is good because it keeps you interested," said Emmanuel Stantzos. "I suggest people to visit Shenzhen and to experience this change.

"I think it's always good to come to these sorts of activities to learn more about Shenzhen to understand the industries and the growth of this awesome city. We want to be able to continue our relationship with Shenzhen and to be able to foster future relationships, to be able to capitalize on the opportunities that come out of Shenzhen. Because after all, the digital economy is where the future lies," Mona Mato, trade commissioner of Pacific Trade Invest China, said.