
68 ◾ Investment and Employment Opportunities in China
Economically, Guangdong is comparable in size to many countries. And since 1989, it has
been the largest province in terms of GDP in Mainland China, and is responsible for 11% of
China’s overall GDP. Its GDP is larger than all but six country subdivisions throughout the world.
In 1978, Deng Xiaoping’s open door policy quickly changed the economy of Guangdong based
on its access to the ocean, bordering with Hong Kong, and historical links to overseas Chinese.
e province’s economic boom began in early 1990s and helped to pull its population density
higher. It is not only China’s largest e