Zheng Hong increases Yunnan-Laos friendship
Zheng Hong, president of the Yunnan Chamber of Commerce in Laos, shared his ideas on how to jointly cope with the Covid-19 pandemic and promote cooperation between Laos and Yunnan on September 25.
Heading the Investment Promotion Department of Laos Ministry of Planning and Investment, Zheng also owns a road and bridge construction company in the country.
Zheng Hong (L3) is at a medical-supply donation.
Upon the Covid-19 outbreak, Zheng Hong, who has worked hard in Laos for nearly 20 years, felt a new sense of responsibilities.
Zheng was born in Qiaojia County, northeast Yunnan’s Zhaotong city, and he began working in Laos in his early 20s.
"Unfamiliar with local realities, I first work at a construction site in Laos," said Zheng. It was by no means easy to start from scratch, but Zheng worked hard, getting promoted from a worker to contractor and company owner. Succeeding in his career, the diligent young man also won the heart of a Lao girl and they formed a happy family.
Over the years, Hong Zheng has been facilitating the Lao exchanges and cooperation with Yunnan and other parts of China. On holidays and festivals, he cooks some Yunnan dishes, while his wife cooks Lao specialties. The international couple celebrates the occasions with their Lao and Chinese friends.
"Yunnan is my home, and so is Laos,” Zheng Said, adding people in the two countries are like family. Under the Belt and Road initiative, overseas Chinese can play a role in bilateral ties.
75,000 Lao masks reach Kunming Airport on Januany 31.
At the news of Covid-19 outbreak in China in January, Zheng was anxious and restless. "We should try our best to help, we can't get there personally," said Zheng, asking s the Chinese in Laos to donate money and medical materials. On January 31, 75,000 Lao masks came to Yunnan from Laos, and they were immediately used for epidemic prevention in Kunming and Qiaojia, hometown of Zheng.
When the Lao number of Covid-19 cases rose in April, Zheng Hong took action again, with his construction firm donating medical supplies to Xiangkhouang Province. They involved masks, temperature meters, protective clothing, goggles and hand sanitizer.
Later, Zheng also actively contacted with the Lao province, offering help in local economic recovery. Officials in Xiangkhouang praised his deeds, saying they sensed the warmth and friendship from Yunnan.
In face of the Covid-19, Zheng said, we need more solidarity for the epidemic poses challenges to each country, business and individual. China and Laos are like brothers bonded together, so we should help each other. In August this year, Yunnan Chamber of Commerce in Laos was established, and Zheng was elected president.
A view of Xiangkhouang Province
At present, the chamber of commerce has communicated with government departments and research institutions in Laos, and in the future they hope to strengthen ties with the Yunnan business authorities and the China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone. “The founding mission of the chamber of commerce is to facilitate Laos-Yunnan economic cooperation,” said Zheng.
Zheng added that with the China-Laos railway to open soon, the cooperation between Yunnan and Laos will usher in more opportunities. Working hard to host business events, Zheng aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in investment, technology, talents training and information sharing, so as to bring about mutual benefit and common prosperity.
Reporting by Liu Ziyu (Yunnan Daily); trans-editing by Wang Shixue