With an area of 2.34 sq. km., Shantou Free Trade Zone lies at the south part of Shantou city. It was ratified by the State Council of the People's Republic of China and founded in January, 1993, it formally came into use on December of the same year after its supervision installations are checked and accepted by the General Customs. It has been comprehensively developing export processing, storage, international trade, finance and information industry. Its goal is to establish a modernized international zone that is open to the overseas by drawing experience from international free trade zone.

    Since commence of its construction, Shantou Free Trade Zone has invested a large capital for infrastructure construction with RMB 1 billion 365 million and completed the project of "Five Workable and One Leveled" and landscaping project in the zone of 2.34 square kilometer. It reclaims land of 1800 Mus (1 Mu equal to 667 square meters) from the sea and develops a total land with 6086 Mus for investment and construction for both foreign and domestic investors. Currently, the whole zone has set up 440-thouand-square-meter plants, warehouses and commercial buildings. With a 30,000 ton-grade special use wharf in use and two 50,000 ton-grade berths under construction, the integration of FTZ and the port has preliminarily come into being. It is also equipped with a 110-thousand-voltage transformer substation and 10-thousand-voltage switching station and a mobile communication station and its virescence rate has reached 36%, therefore, it has created a fine investment environment that is suitable for investment of multinational companies.

    Using the administrative right at the city's level, the Administrative Committee of Shantou FTZ is the accredited organ of Shantou Municipal Government. ? it implements a simplified and effectual administrative system, gradually conform to international practice. We combine local Customs, Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Industrial & Commercial Bureau, tax bureau and Security bureau together for handle office work, all the affairs relevant to customer's investment can be handled in the zone, and we can provide investors with a omnibearing and complete streamline service and thus form a simple, convenient, excellent and efficient service pattern. Enterprises in Free Trade Zone enjoy the advantages of "No Interference, Free Charge", which enables it to be an ideal place for investment.

    We implement four strategies of "Joint development of the zone & the port, Export-oriented economy, Famous brands promotion and Continuable development". Our aim is to build up the three bases of which are bonded warehousing base, high technology industry base and export processing base, walks towards the integration of the zone and the port and of the industry and the commerce. We have primarily formed three advantageous industries: firstly, boned warehouse and logistic industry with principal body based on multinational companies. Secondly, high-tech industry integrating production, study and research together, which bases on the technology of Tsinghua University, Beijing University and China Academy of Sciences, and is jointly initiated by private-owned enterprise specializing in biological engineering and higher-educational universities and colleges. Thirdly, large-scale light industrial enterprises mainly invested by foreign capital and private capital, including edible oil, electronic and electrical equipment, fiber and textile, medicine, high-class packaging material and so on. Now, the functional development and operational management of zone is keeping a fine developmental tendency, which enables it to become a special vigorous economy zone with a certain scale.