The coastal city Zhuhai with the nickname „city of romance“ is characterized by many bays and islands and borders Macao. On the maps Zhuhai appeared only around 1980. Before, it was not more than a small fishermen’s village. Among the shades of Macao, Zhuhai has developed to a residential city with a population of about 1,5 million, especially since it was declared to one of the first four special economic zones of China. Its standard of living is compared to other Chinese cities rather high. Zhuhai is very famous as weekend residence with business people from Hongkong and Macao.
With its well-developed economic structure Zhuhai offers a good basis for investments in production sites. A contribution to this is made by the fact that the city does not only have a special economic zone but also a free trade zone. This resulted in the settlement of many well-known companies, among them MTU Aero Engines, Siemens AG, Bosch, Nike, Toshiba and Canon. A bridge between Hongkong and Zhuhai which is going to be one of the longest in the world is to bring further economic growth to Zhuhai.
The New Ming Palace, a partial reconstruction of the old Summer Palace in Beijing destroyed in 1860, is the highlight of the touristic attractions.
In 2008, the administration of Zhuhai asked the managing director of MTU Aero Engines for support in the initiation of a twinning partnership with a German city. MTU suggested Braunschweig as „City of Science" and seat of many institutions working closely together with aeronautics. In September 2009, a delegation headed by Mayor Dr. Hoffmann travelled to China in order to get to know the situation in Zhuhai. Especially due do the particular economic development of Zhuhai, the delegation decided to found a twinning partnership. The contract was closed in Braunschweig on 1 June 2011. It was agreed upon intensive exchanges in the areas business, science and technology, education, culture and sport.