This study briefly introduces the development of Shantou Special Economic Zone under Reform and Opening-Up Policy from 1980 through 2016 with a focus on policy making issues and its influences on local economy. This paper is divided into two parts, 1980 to 1991, 1992 to 2016 in accordance with the separation of the original Shantou District into three cities: Shantou, Chaozhou and Jieyang in the end of 1991. This study analyzes the policy making issues in the separation of the original Shantou D...