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The Camels Style
Chinese original by Ziding,
Translated by Yining
Calling on Qian Genfang, Head of Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (DOFTEC) of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the alumnus in 1968 of Beijing Foreign Trade and Economy College (now called UIBE),

His families used to live generation by generation in the rich countryside near suburban Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, but he moved to the northwest of China. He graduated from UIBE in 1968. Compared with those who graduated from the same kinds of colleges or universities before the Cultural Revolution, the old five batches of graduates during the Cultural Revolution, i.e., the graduates from 1966 to 1970, must first go to the countryside to be educated again before going to the hardest place. Two years later, he was assigned to Ningxia. So far, he has been working in this area for 31 years. Among the camels team in the western scenery full of grandeur with straight beacon lonely over the desert and a round setting sun beyond the long Yellow River, here comes he, a westerner, an intellectual borne from southern China, and a foreign trader dedicating himself to western China like a camel strolling forwards with its head down. He is Qian Genfang, the graduate of UIBE in 1968.

In 1963, Qian Genfang was enrolled into UIBE from Liuhe County, Jiangsu Province. As it rained heavily that year, the Jinpu Railway was shattered by the flood. He had to take a round way by sea at Yantai through Tianjin to get to Beijing . When he arrived at the college, the term had been lasting for a month. At that time, a joke was so made in the college that he was misunderstood as a female freshman due to his name and had been arranged to live in a girl dormitory.

He worked hard at his study and actively took part in different kinds of social activities of the college. He was elected as Branch Secretary of Youth League. When he entered the college, his major was foreign trade and economy (hereafter called FTE), but one year later, he and some of his classmates whose foreign language level relatively was high were grouped into Translation Department because of the enlargement for our countrys exchanges with outside world and the urgent demand for the talents in translation. Li Qiuyie, Vice- president of the college, paid much attention to foreign language teaching , personally cared about a lot for the experimental class, which attracted many spot views and emulation of colleges and universities. Therefore, during that time, the foreign language level of the freshmen was extensively improved. Although he was in the Culture Revolution, when political slogans like thunderclap oppressed and substituted reading aloud foreign language beautifully as bird ringing, he indulged in studying foreign language. And so far, tens of years are past, he has been insisting on the study of foreign language everyday. In December, 1968, he graduated from the college and came to Tangshan Troop Farm to labor. Two years later, he was formally assigned to work in Ningxia. Together with him were his ten classmates or so, who were also assigned to Ningxia. Nowadays, they have all left Ningxia one by one, but he adheres to Ningxia.

The vast northwest, the deserted Loess Plateau described as a poem of Tang Dynasty: Let horses drink water by the Jiao River at dusk, the Marshal and soldiers heard Diaodou (a pot for cooking during daytime, but stricken as a gong at night in then army) sounding in the dark night with cold strong wind blowing much sand , and princess emotion was gloomy while playing Pipa, a musical instrument like guitar. On arrival of Ningxia, Qian , grown-up in the south ,was still feeling the plateau deserted and vast . Raw grains took up the most of his meals every day. The endless odor of mutton in the canteen air was the most unaccepted thing to him. But as he thought about the saying, "since we have come, let us stay and enjoy it, and survival of the fittest , he regulated himself to suit there shortly.

Yinchuan No. 4 Middle School, a common one, where Qian Genfangs cause in the northwest initiated. He became a middle school English teacher to teach teenagers. At that time, it was no use studying , which formed a social fashion, let alone say to study foreign language. Studying foreign language was ever ignored, but Mr. Qian still devoted to the teaching and achieved much. Many of the students he taught have turned into talents. Though there is little tender and lush fields in the northwest, another poetic emotion appears. There, he found his love. She is a teacher, too.

He has completely accepted Ningxia emotionally. Mr. Qian, the title satisfied him. In the second hometown where there are more loess and Gobi than green hills and blue waters, he felt that the most beautiful scenery and animal were the endless desert and the Desert Boat, the camel. He thought, who had opened up patches of oasis in the vast desert? It was the explorers of generation by generation, and the camels just symbolized them. Camels should be granted as Labor Example of animal world because they can carry heavy load strolling in the vast desert for half a month without any water and food, creating the miracle of existence. Moreover, they are so strong and big that they look bigger than horses even if they die from hunger! How respectable their vitality and style of quality are! In front of camels, mans vitality seems to be so weak that they should learn from the strongest animal, shouldnt they? Relying on a spiritual power and the love and consistency for his cause, Qian made achievements at his first post in the west. As his excellent teaching level and organizing ability, he was transferred to work in Yinchuan Municipal Education Bureau several years later, where he was appointed Branch Secretary of the Youth League, and member of the Leading Party Group of the Bureau. During the 8 years of working there, he experienced the hard course in which Chinas education had been trodden on first and then refreshed vitality and self-esteem. Meanwhile, his worry, happiness, struggle and ideal for the magnificent cause were all merged into the course. In 1978, the policy of opening-up to the outside world began to be implemented, early spring dew befell overnight to " the garden of FTE where the cause had been weathered for many years. Qian, making up his mind to devote himself to the educational cause, could not help but be attracted by the new situation. And so he could not control his feeling motionless. Excited, he felt the dream of his going in for FTE when he had been studying in UIBE was awoken suddenly. It was not easy for him to make the new choice because that meant not only did he must abandon the sphere where he would be easy to reach to higher leading post, but also began from zero. However, in order for the opening up of Ningxia, and for the special knowledge learnt in his college to be played a larger role, he entered the field of FTE. After he began to work for FTE, he held several posts such as personnel of business affairs, Vice-section Chief, Section Chief, and Vice General Manager of FTE company one after another. He was chosen to be as Vice Head of DOFTEC of Ningxia at the age of less than 40 in 1983, and was considered to be a standard cadre of Four Modernization by the Party Committee of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Since then for 18 years, he has been holding Vice Head of Department for 11 years, Head of Department for 7 years, continuing to give his intelligence and energy to the west, which was only in another way.

It can be alleged that since returning to the field of FTE for 23 years, the progress of his personal cause has been made with the development of Ningxias FTE simultaneously. In the course, while he come to grow older and older from a young man to a middle aged man, Ningxias FTE has been changed from small scale into big one and increased by 60 times ! The promotion of ones post is only superficial, and it is important that his experience in FTE for over 20 years is so firm.

He is one of the explorers of FTE of Ningxia. At the beginning of the reform and opening Cup, Ningxia did not own the right to be engaged in business of import and export (I/E) items all by itself. It only had a foreign trade company that supplied goods resources for Tianjin seaport. In order to collect goods, he walked along the countryside paths and among the villages or cottages, heated by the hot sun in the high summer and frozen by the chilly wind in the harsh winter, eating with wind and sleeping in the open air.

In 1980, the state granted self-management right for Ningxia to import and export lycium Chinese, licorice roots, black moss and other commodities, which offered an opportunity for Qian to show his talent. What he learnt from UIBE made his unique theory and knowledge revealed. In addition, as he had a modest attitude of leaning from practice, he stuck out suddenly from the field of Ningxias FTE. He was the first person who negotiated with foreign businessmen and signed a contract after Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region began self Cmanaging FTE.

hotel rooms LondonIn 1982, he was sent to work in Hongkong , being a trade representative stationed there for Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In 1983, he was appointed Vice-head of DOFTEC. In 1994, he became Head of DOFTEC.

With the trade reform being deepened step by step, the stage of Ningxianeses FTE cause has been transformed from Gobi to the whole world. Going on business abroad seems to be as easy as pie for Qian, the Head. Although a plane can not come across a camel while flying up over the sky, patches of color clouds look like camels. Do you think so? Look, they are either standing up or bowing their heads sleeping with different gestures, large, strong and tender. In his mind, camels tough image has rooted inside forever, which makes him put on no bureaucratic airs, and though holding leading post of FTE for many years, he has been keeping true qualities , plain and solid.

II. Ningxia ,with mysterious civilization of Western Xia Kingdom, masculine and vast desert scenery, and ancient culture of the Yellow River, rich local customs of Muslim home, is the gift from the Nature and is also a miracle created by human beings labor.

On the way to Yinchuan, I met a young man, board shoulders and strong figure with his hair cut short , must be a strong western native at my first glance. He commented on his hometown as follows, In Ningxia, there is no cheat, Ningxianese are honest and practical, and dont discriminate against strangers. The nationality relationship is harmony and Yinchuans old town is quite clean. He spoke the five sentences in a breath and obviously felt proud of his own hometown, and proud of being a Ningxianese. While staying in Yinchuan, I found something trouble with my carriageable computer, so I brought it with me to a computer shop for help. At first, I assumed that they would probably blackmail me as I was a stranger. Beyond my expectation, they not only helped me fix my computer but also presented me a soft drive disk free from money. In this way, the strong western mans comments were justified and we could get a rough idea of Ningxianeses civilization.

Qian, Head of DOFTEC, from southern China, while standing aside with strong men of the northwest is quite harmony since he himself has another kind of northwesterners tolerance, which is so tough, so heroic and so plain that integrated himself into one as if it had happened naturally,and as if camels would always follow deserts anywhere. An idea did flash that he would leave Ningxia, and he also met with the chance to moor abroad, but he subjected to the need of Ningxia. When he vacillated, he would recall camels strolling in the vast desert. He was appreciated and surprised at the life miracles created by such a strong will from the camels themselves. That is because there is enough nutrition stored up in their high humps. Anybody, so long as having enough belief in life and nutrition of knowledge, can find out a stage for his cause and achieve success anywhere.

Talking about Qian, the colleagues around him and his subordinates appreciated him in the words: Being a stranger, Qian, the head, neither relying on establishing relationship with others, nor running after official position, was accepted by Ningxia quickly and was paid much attention to. The only reason is that he, himself , is of high quality. Mentioning his behavior, everyone has a common opinion that Qian is always honesty to others, sincerely treat others and everything. When he found his comrades shortcoming, he would criticize them face to face. He is very familiar with every kind of business of FTE of Ningxia.

So long as I/E corporations, commodities, and main clients of Ningxia are mentioned, he would be able to render a clear and convincing presentation of them. As far as his theoretic level is concerned, he is good at writing and speaking, and his articles were often published in the national newspapers and magazines. Adhering to study the guiding principles and policies of CPC, he can offer measures to utilize them mentioned above ,considering the reality of Ningxia. Many of what he favored and the decisions he made were farsighted over the country. He had been elected for several times by MOFTEC to address at national conferences, which made many people from his trade in big cities and provinces appreciated. One of the important reasons why the FTE of Ningxia has been kept increasing at high speed for many years is due to his scientific lead and policy decision. He is an honest and upright official, managing operation carefully and strictly. Although he is in charge of personnel matters, financial affairs and foreign trade quota of Ningxia FTE system, he must hold meeting to discuss them, taking references from collective intelligence and opinions before deciding any important matter. In sending people going on business, abroad on business, holding exhibitions and carrying out business, he tried his best to save each expense by careful calculation and strict budgeting. Over 31 years, he has won respects in Ningxia all by his efforts and the glamour of his character, and during 23 years, obtained high prestige in Ningxia FTE system on his excellent achievements in work and good personal quality.

The numbers show that the I/E volume of Ningxia in 1982 was US$ 6.73 million, US$ 111.24 million in 1993. It is from 1983-1994, lasting 11years, that Qian was holding the leading post, as Vice Head of DOFTEC, during which he was assigned to be responsible for the I/E business of FTE, which included working out and implementing the I/E plans for the whole regions FTE, researching and formulating the policies encouraging exportation for the region, coordinating and managing the whole regions I/E business of FTE , progressively enhancing the reform of FTE companies to develop export commodities, increasing the resource of supply of export goods , enlarging export markets and solving the undergoing problems revealed in the exportation. His efforts not only made Ningxia FTE increase fast, but also laid a sound foundation for the future development.

Another group of data made it clear that in 1995, the whole region of Ningxias foreign exchanges earned from exportation was US$ 240 million , fulfilling 170% of the annual plan, increased by 64% against that of last year, and moreover it was from December, 1994, one year ago that Qian was appointed Head of DOFTEC of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. At that moment, the Chinese market economic mechanism began to be set up, many preferential policies to support FTE development were canceled one after another, and FTE were facing an unprecedented test over past 10 years. At the post of the first leader for 7 years, he led the cadres , and personnel of the whole system actively enhancing the reform of FTE mechanism and corporations, accelerating FTE enterprises to do practical matters to walk along the road of development of establishing industries, of realizing to form group scale, of internationalization and of diversification, consolidating and developing the backbone commodities, optimizing the structure of export commodities, meanwhile, strengthening and enhancing pluralistic market strategy, nurturing new growing points of FTE so as to accelerate the FTE of Ningxia to develop consistently, based on better economic result. During his term of holding Head of DOFTEC, Ningxia has ranked ahead in China for successive 4 years at the rising extent of FTE export volume, which is not really easy to such a region, with weak synthetic power, relatively conservative, small in area, and especially after the Asian Financial Crisis , under the circumstances of lacking demand from aboard, the achievement is further valuable.

bed and breakfast WroclawMaking efforts to increase exportation spent most of Qians energy. So far, There have been more than 400 kinds of export commodities that have been developed from the past several small Chinese herbs, among which, there are following items with the export value of over US$ 10 million, such as series of tantalum products, medicine and chemicals, lycium Chinese, licorice roots, green food, deeply processing agricultural products and etc. , totally 10 kinds of series. Ningxias export market has also been developed from Hongkong and Macao to more than 70 districts and countries, among which USA, Western Europe, Japan and other developed countries have become Ningxias main markets. St. Edenweiss Co. Ltd. is one of the best enterprises in the West. Other enterprises such as the 905 Factory, which takes up the majority of FTE exportation of Ningxia, Currently, the specialty of developing export products is to raise the scientific content of processing products, and to strengthen their international competitive competence. Recently, Wu Yi, member of Commission of State Affairs, arrived in Ningxia accompanied by Qian and visited tens of enterprises. After she visited St. Edenweiss, she commented on it as It is uneasy for FTE enterprises in Ningxia to have been developed to such an extent, for there are not many enterprises in the West whose names have been listed in the stock market.

The number of Ningxias development in FTE vitalizes Qian. This kind of feeling of substantiation is the best retribution for him to devote himself to the West for 30 years. Particularly after he became Head of DOFTEC, under the circumstances that great changes have taken place in the situation of FTE at home and abroad, he felt doubly happy about the continued rise at high speed in Ningxia FTE .

Qian can not help but be excited at the beginning of the West development. He said, During the West Development, Ningxia must try to be the first to vie as being small is of its own superiority. Relatively speaking, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is less in population and large in land and abundant in natural resources. The proportion of Ningxia FTE taking up the GDP is still lower than the average level of that of the whole country. If every target of economy oriented externally can reach to that level, the overall level of Ningxias economy will reach to the upper middle level of the whole country. Therefore, the development of FTE of Ningxia has great potentiality, but in the future west development, Ningxia must overcome different kinds of obstacles, among which the biggest one is the peoples conservative ideas, which is the main gap between the east and the west.

Qian has worked in Ningxia for over 30 years, done many firm deeds for the development of Ningxia and sacrificed his own beautiful youth to Ningxia. In the course of future west development, he is willing to build a new Ningxia, small but beautiful, small but rich, small but strong, together with the colleagues of his second hometown in the spirit of camels, earnest and down-to- earth. (The End)

____Extracted from <Alumni Communication>, published by The Federation of the Alumni of UIBE, on PP.41-43, No.3, 2001, Total No.6 ,