Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT

　　Shenzhen city - one of China"s most internationally connected commercial hubs - has recently released trade figures that offer a closer look at the forces driving export growth.

　　According to an article posted on the official account of Shenzhen Fabu on Saturday, the city ranked first among China"s mainland cities in total foreign trade in the first two months of the year. Foreign-invested enterprises accounted for 206.65 billion yuan ($30.01 billion) in imports and exports, up 25.5 percent year-on-year and representing 25.1 percent of the total.

　　Shenzhen was once a small fishing village on China"s southern coast. Today it is a megacity widely recognized for its electronics and information technology manufacturing, and an important hub of foreign trade among Chinese mainland cities. Throughout this transformation, foreign-invested companies have become deeply embedded in the city"s industrial ecosystem, contributing to the expansion of the trade flows.

　　For foreign investors, Shenzhen shows how integration with China"s industrial networks can be mutually beneficial. Multinational firms gain access to extensive supply chains, a skilled workforce, and a large domestic market, while their investment supports the city"s development as a center for manufacturing and trade. Seen in this light, Shenzhen offers a lens on broader trends in China"s export sector.