The city of Zhuhai, located on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, is one of the four earliest Special Economic Zones in China to implement the national policy of opening up. It is the city in South China with the largest marine area, the most islands and the longest coastline in the Pearl River Delta, earning it the nickname "City of Hundred Islands". Zhuhai's Xiangzhou district, established in June 1984, is the birthplace of the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone and serves as the political, economic, scientific and cultural center of the city. Its GDP exceeds 174 billion yuan ($24 billion), accounting for about half of the city's total. With an administrative area of 555 square kilometers and an actual jurisdiction area of 163.5 sq km, Xiangzhou has a population of 1.1398 million permanent residents, accounting for 46.1 percent of the city's population. It administers 10 towns and sub-districts – Nanping town, as well as Gongbei, Jida, Shishan, Cuixiang, Xiangwan, Meihua, Qianshan, Wanzai and Fengshan sub-districts.

Xiangzhou borders Macao and is connected to Hong Kong and Macao by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, or HZMB. It has close commerce, trade and cultural ties with Hong Kong and Macao. The district is home to national first-class ports such as the Gongbei Port, the HZMB, Jiuzhou Port, Wangzai Port, Zhuhai-Macao Cross-border Industrial Zone and the Qingmao Port. Of these, the Gongbei Port is the largest land one in the country.

The district has a rich history and is known for its outstanding individuals. During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Xiangshan county was established and Xiangzhou was under its jurisdiction. In the first year of the Xuantong era of the Qing Dynasty (1909), a commercial port was opened between Xiangshan Field and Jiuzhou Ring and it was named Xiangzhou Port – combining the "Xiang" from Xiangshan Field and the "Zhou" from Jiuzhou Ring. Thus, the name Xiangzhou originated. In modern times, a group of influential figures emerged in Chinese history from there. They included Yung Wing, the pioneer of Chinese studying abroad and the first Chinese Bachelor of Arts in the United States; Yang Pao'an, the first propagator of Marxism in South China; Tang Guo'an, the first president of Tsinghua School; Chen Fang, the first commercial consul of the Qing Dynasty in the Kingdom of Hawaii; Rong Guotuan, the first world champion of the People's Republic of China; as well as noted writer Su Manshu and printmaker Gu Yuan.

What's more, the district is both a romantic and livable place. It is located south of the Tropic of Cancer and has a maritime subtropical monsoon climate. The average annual temperature is 22.7 C. Surrounded by mountains and sea, with many islands, the climate is pleasant. The air quality ranks among the top 10 in the country, making it the most livable city in China for multiple consecutive years.

Xiangzhou has built 141 parks using the most expensive land, presenting the most beautiful scenery to citizens and tourists. In recent years, parks such as Xiangshanhu Park, Haitian Park and Meihua Urban Park have been established, with evergreen landscapes and flowers blooming in every season.

The most beautiful calling card in Xiangzhou is Lovers' Road, which runs along the winding coastline from north to south. It connects the four large beaches of Meili Bay, Haitian Bay, Xianglu Bay and Haibin Beach. It also connects seaside attractions like the Haitian Rest Station, Haibin Park, the Zhuhai Museum and Zhuhai Planning Exhibition Hall, Yeli Island, the Zhuhai Opera House, the iconic Statue of Fisher Girl, the Urban Balcony, City Lounge, the Xiangshan Trail and Jingshan Trail. Every year, festive events including beach music festivals, kite festivals, sailing races and marathons are held on Lovers' Road. On weekends and holidays, tourists flock to the area and during the eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday in 2023, over 1.5 million visitors were received. Taking a leisurely stroll along Lovers' Road, watching the sunrise, listening to the sound of waves, feeling the sea breeze, walking on the beach and enjoying the sea view is incredibly pleasant and romantic.

The romantic and livable environment of Xiangzhou has attracted many international visitors to travel, work and settle here.

Xiangzhou has complete industrial structure. It has two large industrial parks, namely the Nanping Science and Technology Industrial Park and the Sanxi Science and Technology Innovation Town, which are important carriers for the development of modern industry. The Nanping Science and Technology Industrial Park was established in 1999, with a total area of 7.2 sq km. Its annual industrial output value has exceeded 100 billion yuan. The Sanxi Science and Technology Innovation Town is a newly developed science and technology innovation park to have emerged in recent years, with a construction area of 8.95 sq km.

It's known for its leading industries in smart home appliances, intelligent equipment manufacturing and optoelectronics. Representative companies include Gree Electric Appliances, Ninestar, Panasonic Motors, Titans New Power, ZH Sima Transmission, Intelligent Power, Zhuhai Jieli Technology, Apex Mic and Zhuhai Megain Technology.

Xiangzhou has attached great importance to technological innovation and has attracted a large number of post-doctoral fellows, doctoral researchers and various types of young and skilled talent through the Xiangshan Talent Program to work and start businesses in Xiangzhou. By using modern technology, the district has established information service platforms – including industrial finance, enterprise services and supply chains – to support the high-quality development of enterprises.

Moreover, the district has a developed commercial sector, with 32 big commercial complexes – including Huafa Commercial City, Midtown, Uin Park, UT Place, Hi City and Zhengfang Yoho Park. There are also  supermarket chains such as Sam's Club and CR Vanguard. In recent years, there has been a strong development in e-commerce, making both online and offline shopping very convenient.

Xiangzhou has comprehensive public services. It has utilized the best spaces to build public service facilities and has the best educational resources in the city. There are a total of 86 primary and secondary schools and 185 kindergartens in the district, with more than 190,000 students. Overall, Xiangzhou has been honored as a strong area for education in Guangdong province, an advanced area for promoting educational modernization in Guangdong province and a basic balanced area for the development of compulsory education in the country.

On top of that, the district has dedicated medical and health resources, including five tertiary hospitals – Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University Affiliated No 5 Hospital, the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Zhuhai Hospital and Zhuhai Maternal and Child Health Hospital. It also has the first, second and third People's Hospitals of Xiangzhou.