The relationship between Zhuhai and Shantou

Three of the four earliest special economic zones in China are located in Guangdong Province: Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Shantou. Shenzhen has developed and has become a first-tier city in "Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen", while Zhuhai and Shantou have not developed. Why haven’t Zhuhai and Shantou developed? It cannot be said that Zhuhai has not developed. Zhuhai’s per capita GDP ranks among the top ten in the country. It can only be said that it is worse than Shenzhen. Compared with other cities across the country, Zhuhai's economy is considered very developed. Zhuhai is one of those small and beautiful cities with a small territory and small population. But the urban environment is good and the economy is good. As an important port city on the southeast coast, an important gateway to the Maritime Silk Road, a sub-central city in Guangdong Province, an open port city on the coast of China, and a famous hometown of overseas Chinese in China, it is true that Shantou's economy has not developed. In 2019, Shantou's total GDP was 269.4 billion yuan, and per capita GDP was less than 50,000 yuan, which is far lower than the national average. Shantou's failure to develop is largely related to the outflow of talented people. Many people from Shantou have gone overseas to develop in Guangzhou and Shenzhen and no longer stay in Shantou.