Guangdong's rise impresses, inspires ambassadors

Experimental experience

FlorCruz believes that Shenzhen's rise reflects a key aspect of China's development model: experimentation before expansion.

China usually launches pilot programs, then scales up the process, he said. "It experiments, adjusts, and if the model works, it is replicated elsewhere," he said.

What began as a bold experiment in Shenzhen's Special Economic Zone eventually expanded to other parts of the country, including Pudong New Area in Shanghai, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Xiong'an New Area and the Hainan Free Trade Port, he noted.

Shenzhen is also a good example of how a city can progress if there is strong leadership at the top, united support among the residents, and collaboration between the government and the public sector.

Mongolian Ambassador to China Nyamaa Enkhbold said the trip highlighted China's success in winning public understanding and participation in the reform process.

He was impressed by the government's ability to help people embrace new ideas and become active participants in development.

"The most difficult thing is to change people's mentality," he said."If you think something is too difficult and that you cannot do it, then you cannot do anything. But when you see other examples and learn from them, you start to think: if China can do it, why can't we?"

The ambassador, who first visited China in 1991, said that the country's progress over the past four decades has been extraordinary. "China was a completely different place at that time," he said. "In almost 40 years, it has developed beyond recognition."

Visiting Guangdong, the cradle of China's reform and opening-up, offered Enkhbold important insights into Mongolia's own transformation as it refines its development agenda.

Mongolia recently adjusted its five-year development plan and is paying close attention to China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the ambassador said. Given the close economic ties between the two neighbors, policy coordination is of strategic importance, he added.

"At the moment, around 80 to 90 percent of Mongolian foreign trade and foreign investment is linked to China," Enkhbold said. "It is vitally important for us to align our policies and coordinate with the goals of our two countries."

Kenyan Ambassador to China Willy Bett said Shenzhen's experience in establishing itself as a special economic zone provides lessons his country can draw on.

He said Kenya now operates a number of special economic zones and is learning how to manage them effectively — from developing infrastructure to establishing the regulations and policies necessary for their operation.

Bett pointed out that China's special economic zones were established earlier under specific laws, which shaped policies, infrastructure layout, and legal frameworks.

"These are the experiences we are now picking up from Shenzhen to help our special economic zones work better for investors," he said.