Dozens of experts set to be honored for their prowess
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Foshan in Guangdong province, long known for its dynamic manufacturing industry, is encouraging the pursuit of improved craftsmanship. CHINA DAILY |
Biennial awards help encourage expertise and attract talent to city, say local officials
Foshan in South China's Guangdong province is set to award 30 specialists in different trades across the city for their outstanding professional skills and consistent pursuit of improved craftsmanship on Tuesday.
The awards ceremony takes place every other year, where winners are honored as "Foshan Craftsman". It is significant to the host city, which has been long known for its dynamic manufacturing industry, as it helps inject a spirit of craftsmanship into industries and attracts more high-level professionals to Foshan, local officials said.
Nominees are assessed with criteria including professional expertise, technological innovation, team leadership or feats in traditional crafts, and previous honors.
This year, the awardees will include skilled workers, researchers, craftsmen and other people in Foshan. This is especially so for those who have made prominent contributions to production resumption amid the prevention and control of COVID-19, as well as to economic transformation and industrial upgrades, organizers said.
They are from all walks of life including teachers from vocational institutes, chief engineers and technicians, managers, art consultants and artisans from handicraft and jewelry companies.
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Zheng Liyu (left), director of the research and development center at the mechanical and electrical department of Midea Group, instructs his associate to test the quality of a compressor engine at the company. CHINA DAILY |
Zheng Liyu, director of the research and development center at the mechanical and electrical department of Midea Group, is among those listed.
Zheng has focused on refrigeration compressor research for 15 years. He recalled it was hard for the company to develop products independently at the beginning. "At that time, we were weak in R&D capabilities and had to depend on technical support from our partners," Zheng said.
Then the company began to establish an R&D system and deploy resources for technological portfolio expansion in its businesses. Zheng founded an R&D team with 1,000 experienced researchers for the company.
The team worked day and night for nearly five months to develop the company's proprietary compressor series, Zheng said.
To date, sales of the compressors have surpassed more than 150 million.