Titled Breaking Through and Scaling New Heights, his speech lit up what’s being called the most nourishing event in Foshan during the pandemic. From 2:30 PM to 7:00 PM, this marathon meeting could’ve dragged—but instead, it was a masterclass in order and engagement, leaving everyone riveted. Chalk it up to a high-caliber speech shaping a high-caliber conference. Let’s be real: events this good are rare in Foshan. Here are my three big takeaways:
- Foshan’s Rising Star: Three years running, the Foshan Enterprise Conference has cemented itself as a bona fide brand. Its pull and prestige are undeniable—it’s the event that defines Foshan’s business scene.
- Zhou Qiren’s Magic Touch: Professor Zhou’s razor-sharp economic insights are the backbone of this brand. Swap him out, and the whole vibe might collapse. If Foshan wants to keep this conference rocking, Zhou’s a non-negotiable MVP.
- Mayor Zhu’s Bombshell Vision: Mayor Zhu Wei dropped some serious intel, but one bombshell stole the show: Foshan’s launching a full-scale audit of its manufacturing core tech—zeroing in on what’s choked by foreign strangleholds. Once they’ve got the playbook, they’re going national with a bold call: “Solve our tech bottlenecks, and Foshan’s cash is yours.”
This move deserves a standing ovation—it’s a historic pivot. We’ve been chanting about a “Foshan manufacturing quality revolution” and claiming the crown of China’s top-tier production, but the weak links? The tech we don’t own? It’s been a blurry mess for too long. Nail this, and Foshan’s progress will hit us like a freight train. Big ideas and grand directions are great, but real wins come from gritty, boots-on-the-ground work. Four years ago, Deputy Party Secretary Ou Bangmin pegged it: Shun District’s biggest headache was government services lagging behind business growth. I’d argue that’s Foshan-wide. But here’s the silver lining: Foshan’s entrepreneurs are relentless—they hustle harder than anyone.
Spotlight on Guangdong Huate Gas Co., Ltd.
Professor Zhou gave our company, Guangdong Huate Gas Co., Ltd., not one but two shoutouts that lit up the room.
Shoutout #1: Thriving Against the Odds
He praised our grit: while the global pandemic tanked profits in Q1 2020—some firms even lost all output—Huate Gas bucked the trend with a 13% growth spurt. In a sea of red, we were a rare green blip.
Shoutout #2: Hardcore Products, Stellar Clients
Zhou doubled down, saluting our “rock-solid products”:
“Guangdong Huate Gas Co., Ltd. went from standard industrial gases to specialty gases. Sales might not be massive, but their quality? Untouchable. Back in 2002, they locked onto specialty gases as the future. Now check their client list—it’s a galaxy of stars: SMIC, Huali Microelectronics, Yangtze Memory, TSMC, BOE, you name it. Last year, our delegation hit ASML’s doorstep but couldn’t get in. Meanwhile, Huatai’s got four specialty gases with ASML’s stamp of approval.
We all know the trade war and tech war ‘choke points.’ Solutions vary—some say we master everything the world denies us. But there’s another play: we’ve got products that can choke back. If they can pinch us and we can pinch them, we’ve got leverage. The more Foshan, Guangdong, and China stack up companies like this, the wider our breathing room gets.”
The Aftershock
Post-conference, my adrenaline’s still pumping. Professor Zhou’s thunderous words echo in my ears, urging us onward. We’ve got to live by his rallying cry: “Keep climbing, scaling peak after peak in the quality revolution—let’s do this together!” This isn’t just a pep talk—it’s a blueprint for Foshan’s future. Huatai Gas, and all of us, are ready to rise.
