The nearby port town of Shantou was one of the mainland's early Special Economic Zones but has lagged other booming coastal areas.

FORBES: Gift to a People

Along the way, he was involved in setting up China's successful special economic zones, which brought huge flows of capital and technology into the nation.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Cover: The Son of Heaven?

To attract foreign investment and help foreign firms avoid garment-export taxes, Bangladesh's government set up special economic zones in Dhaka, the capital, and surrounding cities.

WSJ: Before Bangladesh Collapse, Some Clothing Retailers Fled Risk