The diffusion of Hong Kong cultural values to China's mainland: a case study in Shenzhen

s—Since Shenzhen became a special economic zone in 1980, it has achieved spectacular growth in its economy. At the same time, it has opened its door to the importation of foreign goods and cultures,particularly from its neighboring city,Hong Kong.Nowadays,Hong Kong cultural traits, including materialism, individualism, and the idolization of movie stars and pop singers have become well accepted and commonly followed by the people in Shenzhen. This paper looks into the role of mass communication, particularly television programs, in this process of cultural diffusion, and to assess the cause and effect of such changes on Shenzhen.