A long-lost industry party

At 6:30 PM on March 10, several National People's Congress (NPC) deputies who had just finished their group discussions quickly made their way to the Wuzhou Grand Hotel, located at the northwest corner of Anhui Bridge. As they gathered, the conversation was lively and centered around a common topic—“Your project…” When Gu Xiulian, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, and Li Yongwu, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association, arrived, the atmosphere became even more energetic. Everyone greeted each other with excitement, calling them “Minister Gu” and “Minister Li.” Hao Changjiang, the organizer of the event and president of China Chemical News Agency, remarked, “Today, we invited chemical industry representatives from the NPC to return and meet with former leaders. In the future, our newspaper will host these meetings every year during the two sessions.” He added that such gatherings were once a highlight during the days of the Ministry of Chemical Industry. Every year during the two sessions, the ministry would bring industry representatives together for discussions. However, after the ministry was restructured, such events faded away. Despite this, the warm and open atmosphere of those gatherings remained deeply embedded in the memories of those who had experienced it. This year, Hao was determined to recreate that sense of unity and camaraderie. The chemical industry representatives at the Tenth NPC came from various sectors—chemicals, fertilizers, tire companies, and research institutes. Most of them were CEOs or top executives. When they met, they naturally fell into familiar conversations filled with industry jargon. Zhang Xiangning, vice chairman of Jiangsu Provincial Pesticide Research Institute, spoke about the need to better guide farmers in pesticide use. Cao Chaoyang, chairman of Henan Tire Group, discussed joint ventures. Liao Nengcheng, chairman of Guangxi Liuhua Group, talked about enterprise restructuring. Jiang Yuanhua, chairman of Hubei Yihua Group, shook hands with Zhou Hongren, chairman of Liaoning Xiyang Group. “You’re from Western Guizhou?” Jiang asked. “I already knew you were into compound fertilizer,” he said. Zhou replied, “That’s just one of my subsidiaries.” Jiang was surprised, asking, “How much total production capacity do you have?” Zhou responded, “Last year, 1.3 million tons. This year, we’ll reach 2 million.” Jiang smiled, “Great! Let’s cooperate. We mainly produce urea and also compound fertilizer.” “How much urea do you make?” “2 million tons.” “Wow!” This time, it was Zhou who was taken aback. Zhou Zhende, chairman of Hebei Quzhou Chemical Industry Group, asked Li Yongwu about his company’s polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production, which now reaches nearly 300,000 tons annually. However, he struggled with waste residue, specifically electrocalcite. Without hesitation, Li suggested, “Go ahead and process it.” He mentioned that Xinjiang Tianye Group successfully used electric lime to produce high-grade building materials. Zhou immediately said he would investigate further upon returning. The CEOs shared updates on their companies’ progress with the veteran leaders. Each story brought back memories. Ding Yuhua, chairman of Shandong Triangle Group, reported that his company manufactured China’s first all-steel radial tire in 2002 and now produces 40,000 sets annually. Gu Xiulian exclaimed, “Laoting really made you succeed. That’s great!” Chen Huasen, chairman of Weifang Yaxing Group, shared how his company introduced a German company in 1990, producing 6,000 tons of chlorine per year. Now, the plant has expanded to 110,000 tons annually. Gu Xiulian remembered visiting the site when it was small, saying, “Now it’s the largest in the world!” Wu Sihai, newly elected vice chairman of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, wanted to share his news. Gu Xiulian smiled and said, “You’ve been promoted. I must congratulate you!” For these veterans, serving as an NPC deputy is a moment of immense pride. This gathering was more than just a meeting—it was a celebration of their professional identity. No matter where they came from or where they went next, the bond with the chemical industry remained strong. They carried a deep emotional connection that never faded. Whenever the chance arose, they would express it with the same passion and freedom as they did at home. Finally, Gu Xiulian spoke with deep emotion: “It’s a great thing that today’s chemical industry brought our representatives together. It’s been years since I last saw everyone. I’m so happy to see your growth—small enterprises have grown, big companies have transformed. I feel truly proud! Although I no longer work in the chemical industry, I will always follow its development. Because I am still a chemical person. I hope the entire industry continues to thrive and prosper!”

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