Sunday, October 12, 2008

Hua Qiang Bei

Hua Qiang Bei is an area in Shenzhen. It runs from Shennan Boulevard at SEG Plaza near Hua Qiang Station on the Shenzhen Metro for one kilometer north to the Pavilion Hotel. It is the spine of a concentrated shopping and restaurant area, with cross streets Zhen Zhong Lu, Zhen Hua Lu and Zhen Xing Lu. Hua Fa Lu is immediately parallel to the east with Yan Nan Lu further away.

The area is characterized by tree-lined streets with wide footpaths. Hua Qiang Bei itself is lined by large buildings each specializing in commercial electronics, consumer electronics or women's clothing. The latter range from top Hong Kong and international designer label shops to locally produced good quality clothing, shoes and bags. Fake goods are largely absent from this area, unlike the other major shopping areas of Dongmen and Luohu Commercial City.

The surrounding streets are lined by clothing shops, hotels, restaurants from all provinces of China with prices ranging from 10RMB to 100RMB per person, western fast food outlets, massage parlours , discotheques, various small stores and several international supermarkets.

On weekends it is difficult to believe that the population of Shenzhen is less than 10 million.

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