Mouthing Off

No wonder Shenzhen is drawing diners and shoppers from Hong Kong – it is close by, clean and food is much cheaper

Shenzhen, once known for fake designer bags and mystery meat, has come far in recent years and now has good food hygiene. It’s much cheaper than Hong Kong, too

It’s no surprise Hong Kong residents flock there, causing restaurants at home to miss out. The price imbalance doesn’t look like ending any time soon

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A food vendor in a Shenzhen shopping mall. Hong Kong bars and restaurants are suffering as large numbers of Hong Kong people head to the southern Chinese city to enjoy food that costs much less than at home. Photo: Shutterstock

Andrew Sun has dabbled in many shades of the media spectrum for 25 years, from college radio, TV, print and online columnist to starting film festivals, managing music labels and authoring food books.

Published: 7:45am, 8 May 2024

A few weeks ago, I went up to Shenzhen from Hong Kong for the first time in a long time – it was probably five years since my last visit, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The reason was to attend a conference at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center in Futian, in the heart of Shenzhen.

A lot has changed in the southern Chinese city – glittering new towers house modern offices and luxury hotels.

It would be a marvel of urban planning except for the flaws I spotted, such as what I view as shoddy workmanship and lack of attention to detail – visible in pedestrian passages with uneven steps.

People queue to enter the Shenzhen branch of Costco in January, 2024. Photo Getty Images

Admittedly, I’m not one of those people who go north every weekend to eat, and shop at Costco and Sam’s Club.