Photo taken on Aug. 26, 2020 shows a light show in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. A light show performed with 826 drones combined with city lights started at 08:26 p.m. local time on Aug. 26 in Shenzhen to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (SEZ). [Xinhua]

On October 14, a grand gathering was held in Shenzhen to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Some attendees from Shenzhen shared their thoughts on the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping and expressed confidence in the city's development in the next 40 years.

Pony Ma, chairman and chief executive officer of Tencent Holdings

Tencent will seek to attract first-class professionals from across the globe and build an ecology featuring the integration of industries, universities and research institutes. We hope to consolidate our sci-tech foundation, contribute to the building of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and turn it into a center of international innovation.

Ma Mingzhe, chairman and chief executive officer of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd.

Ping An will continue to promote the strategic transmission of finance plus sci-tech, and finance plus ecology, and consistently improve its ability to serve the real economy and innovation-driven development. We will also fulfill our social responsibilities and boost our efforts in poverty relief and rural revitalization.

Wang Wei, chairman of S.F. Express

Shenzhen is an inclusive, innovative city with a service-oriented government that strictly follows the rule of law. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that reform and opening up is always an ongoing task and will never end. This statement has given S.F. confidence to further expand in Shenzhen. We plan to increase our investments in Shenzhen and other Chinese cities in the future.

Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD

Over the past 25 years, Shenzhen-headquartered BYD has grown into an international enterprise in the automobile, rail traffic, new energy, and electronics industries. I am confident that Chinese enterprises can cope with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and become more innovative and pioneering.

Sun Xizhuo, president of Luohu Hospital Group

Standing at this fresh starting point, Luohu Hospital Group will deepen its healthcare reform, allocate more resources to disease prevention and chronic disease management and help more people benefit from advanced medical technologies.

Sun Lei, chief designer at FIYTA Group

I like to try new things and have been passionate ever since I came to Shenzhen in 1992. In this sense, Shenzhen is the right place for me. I feel as if my career just started, and surely, I will bring more innovative designs to FIYTA watches in the future.

Li Xiting, chairman of Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.

General Secretary Xi suggested nurturing strategic emerging industries, which means we should increase investment in basic research applications and grasp core technologies. We will earnestly improve our product quality and allocate more resources to science and technology research and development.

Li Jianquan, chairman of Winner Medical Co Ltd.

Shenzhen is a pioneering city boasting innovation. Thanks to consistent innovation efforts, Winner could produce a large number of masks and protective suits in a timely manner in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lu Jianxin, chief engineer at the southern China division of the China Construction Science and Industry Construction Limited

I wish to build more schools, hospitals, residential buildings, and urban greenways in Shenzhen, making good use of the innovative technologies we have mastered. Together, we will turn this city into a much better place.

Zhou Chuangbin, senior expert with China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd

We will continue to push technological innovation, produce clean energy of higher quality, and contribute to the sustainable development of Shenzhen.

Yu Guogang, former deputy general manager (legal representative) of Shenzhen Stock Exchange

General Secretary Xi called for Shenzhen to explore a more flexible policy in terms of financial innovation, and I am excited to hear that the central government will grant the city a greater say in improving the market-based allocation of the factors of production. A great leap is expected for Shenzhen's capital market, once the mechanism embraces new breakthroughs.

Guo Liying, head of the Phoenix Nirvana Art Troupe

All the performers of our art troupe are cancer patients and have been warmly cared for and supported by the city. I will continue to face life with a positive outlook and lead this troupe to a better future.

Huang Sanwen, director general of Agricultural Genomes Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

We plan to attract more talented people specializing in food safety and life and health to work here. In the meantime, we will speed up the building of Shenzhen International Food Valley so as to develop a leading agricultural product industry empowered by high technology and provide people with more nutritious and healthier food.

Fan Jianping, president of The Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS)

The SIAT will make concerted more efforts to build up the Shenzhen Institute of Technology of the Chinese Academy of Science, strengthen the integration of research and education, and cultivate more talents for Shenzhen's development.

Huo Dawei, senior adviser at the 2012 Laboratories of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

My wish is that more and more young people will pursue their dreams in Shenzhen, an open and inclusive city boasting innovation. Huawei and many other enterprises thirsty for novel ideas are waiting for you.