Hu chats with local residents at Yumincun housing estate.

Hu greets staff at Tencent Inc.

Hu at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology.

Hu visits the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station.

PRESIDENT Hu Jintao visited local communities and businesses during his three-day tour of Shenzhen, which celebrated the 30th anniversary of China's first special economic zone (SEZ) Monday.

He chatted with residents at Yumincun housing estate, which was a fishing village 30 years ago. It has now developed into a modern urban community. In 1984, late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who first proposed establishing the Shenzhen SEZ in the late 1970s, visited the village.

"The community's great change epitomizes the development of the Shenzhen SEZ and proves that the reform and opening-up policy was a must for national prosperity," Hu said. He noted the Party's reform and opening-up policy aimed to improve people's lives.

Hu also visited the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station, known as the "cradle" of the country's nuclear power industry. He examined diagrams, models and objects at the nuclear power station and was pleased to learn that about 85 percent of the plant's equipment was made in China.

He said the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co., which operates the station, should seize opportunities to develop while making safety the top priority.

A major focus of Hu's tour was Shenzhen's efforts to accelerate the transformation of an economic growth pattern.

At Tencent Inc., one of China's largest Internet portals, Hu learned the average age of the company's 12,000 staff was only 27 years and that 85 percent of them have college degrees.

Hu encouraged young people to innovate and to contribute to the nation's Internet industry.

At the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, which is part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hu learned of recent technological advances in high-tech enterprises like carmaker BYD and telecommunications equipment makers Huawei and ZTE.

After seeing intelligent robots and super computers, Hu said he could "feel Shenzhen's creativity and vitality."

Source:Shenzhen Daily