Today, Guangzhou is a thriving city. It is one of the 14 "open cities" granted economic autonomy in the mainland. Aside from the open policy, the city benefits from its proximity to three of China's Special Economic Zones (Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Shantou), not to mention Hong Kong. Trade is Guangzhou's asset. Foreign investment has pumped capital into the city, making it the center of commerce, finance, communication, culture, and science & technology in South China. Today, the city's overall economic development rate ranks third in China, behind Beijing and Shanghai.