7 Zhejiang people awarded for role in reform and opening-up

A grand gathering to mark the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up was held in Beijing on Dec 18. 100 Chinese nationals, including seven recommended by Zhejiang government, were awarded for their contributions over the past four decades.

Jack Ma (1964 - ), founder and chairman of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group

Ma is a pioneer in developing China's digital economy. He's now promoting the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) initiative, an international cooperation mechanism with an objective of reducing barriers and making it more convenient for small and medium-sized enterprises to expand their trading capabilities worldwide.

Li Shufu (1963 - ), founder and chairman of Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group

Li is a leading entrepreneur in China's private sector. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, founded in 1986, has been one of the world's leading automakers.

Bu Xinsheng (1934 - 2015), former director of Haiyan shirt factory

Bu was born in a tailor's family in Haiyan county, Jiaxing province. In the 1980s, he was appointed as the director of Haiyan shirt factory. He took the initiative to reform the management and allocation modes inside the factory to break absolute equalitarianism and to mobilize workers' enthusiasm.

His bold actions gave the factory a new outlook and exerted great influence on the country's reform and development.

Nan Cunhui (1963 - ), chairman and founder of Chint Group, China's leading industrial electrical equipment and new energy enterprise in the private sector

Nan is an outstanding representative from the private sector in Wenzhou, a pioneering city in reform and opening-up and the birthplace of new China's private economy.

Chint Group is now pushing forward the presence of intelligent manufacturing and photovoltaic industry, as well as expanding its presence around the globe.

Lu Guanqiu (1945 - 2017), founder and former chairman of Wanxiang Group

Lu was an iconic entrepreneur from Zhejiang province who founded China's largest automotive parts company Wanxiang Group and played a pioneering role in reforming township enterprises in China.

Wanxiang was founded in 1969 by Lu and six other local farmers in rural Zhejiang. Today, the company has a 60 percent market share in China's automotive parts sector.

"He is industrious, down-to-earth and low-profile. He is the first name that popped into my mind when asked about a model of Zhejiang entrepreneurs," said Rupert Hoogewerf, founder and chief researcher of Hurun Rich List.

Xie Gaohua (1931 - ), former Party chief of Yiwu

The city of Yiwu in Zhejiang province is now the world's largest small commodities trading center. Over 1.8 million kinds of commodities are produced and sold in Yiwu to more than 200 countries and regions.

Four decades ago, most of the people in Yiwu were farmers. Xie, then Party chief of Yiwu, was the man behind the tremendous change.

At the beginning of China's reform and opening-up, Xie insisted on breaking old conventions and allowed the operation of street markets. He proposed the strategy of developing small businesses to boost local economy, laying a solid foundation for today's "world supermarket".

Bao Xinmin (1956 - ), former Party chief of Yucun village in Anji county

Yucun village in Anji, Zhejiang province is the birthplace of the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".

In the 1980s and 1990s, local people earned a lot of money by running quarries, cement plants and chemical factories. At that time, mines were gold in villagers' eyes. However, the excessive consumption of natural resources damaged the ecological environment.

A member of the management team of the village, Bao put forward the idea of shutting down quarries and looking for an ecologically friendly way to develop economy in 2003.

Facing the pressure from the plummeting of the income, Bao didn't give in. After two years of adjustment, in 2005, Yucun began to develop leisure and tourism economy by protecting the ecology and improving the facilities.

Over the past decade, Yucun has unswervingly been marching along the path of green and sustainable development, and has transformed into a village known for beautiful environment and prosperous tourism sector.