A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

Zhou Mingyu urged everyone to calm down and carefully analyze the assessment report.

"Look, the key issue lies in the data from the upstream of raw materials."

The organization doesn't want us to monitor the whole world; it wants verifiable original evidence.

This indicates that there are still loopholes in our supplier management process.

He proposed a "step-by-step optimization and key breakthrough" plan: "First, the production schedule should be adjusted immediately to avoid peak grid load and make more use of off-peak and flat-peak electricity. This data is readily available and can be optimized immediately."

Second, the technology department took the lead in immediately screening several of our commonly used main raw materials to find lower-carbon alternatives or suppliers with green certifications, even if the price is slightly higher, as long as it can solve the source data problem.

Third, the supplier's original documentation, such as proof of their energy consumption structure and environmental certification, needs to be provided by them.

In this regard, formal coordination may need to be carried out in the name of Tianye Group, and even the assistance of industry associations or local governments may be required to promote it.

He continued, "As for the parts of our process that are mentioned in the certification, where there are compliance disputes with the EU's interpretation, I will liaise with the relevant departments of the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau and Customs."

We need them to provide some official explanations or supporting documents based on domestic regulations and international standards, in order to communicate with the certification body.

This isn't just a matter for Tianye alone; it's also about gaining experience for our local industries to expand overseas.

Zhou Mingyu's words were clear and logical, with each step focusing on specific operations, without any empty talk.

He looked at everyone one last time and said, "Difficulties come one after another, that's normal."

As long as the general direction is correct and the path to certification is open, then we will overcome any obstacles we encounter.

There are always more solutions than problems.

The team was given a renewed boost.

The chairman took a deep breath and made the decision: "Let's do as Director Zhou says."

Adjusting the shift schedule, Mr. Chen, you're in charge.

Mr. Liu, please work with the technical department to find alternative raw materials and coordinate with suppliers.

"I'll leave the compliance certification to Director Zhou. Let's give it one more try!"

Night had fallen, but the lights were still on in several offices of Tianye Group. In the corridor, Zhou Mingyu was holding his phone, speaking softly but firmly to the person on the other end.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Mingyu realized that while solving the specific problems of Tianye Group's certification was important, he was thinking deeper and further ahead.

Are the problems that Tianye is facing—such as lack of certification, financial constraints, and technological gaps—truly unique to this one company?

I'm afraid not.

During his grassroots research, he heard too many similar complaints: they wanted to export, but couldn't understand the standards; they wanted to upgrade, but didn't have enough money; they wanted to find the right people, but couldn't find the right channels.

Behind this lies the common problem of industrial upgrading and export-oriented development in border regions.

The difficulties faced by businesses are precisely the touchstone and check-up report of the local business environment, revealing shortcomings in services and obstacles in mechanisms.

"We can't just be firefighters, going door-to-door to put out fires."

Zhou Mingyu wrote these words heavily in his notebook: "We need to build a fire prevention system and pave the way so that the companies that follow can move forward smoothly."

With this in mind, and relying on the firsthand information and persuasive skills he had accumulated while tackling tough challenges at Tianye Group, Zhou Mingyu began to frequently attend relevant meetings. In his reports, the Tianye case was always a vivid opening, but the focus was always on suggestions for mechanisms and policies.

His proposal was specific and pragmatic, directly addressing the pain points:

"Certification bottleneck? Can't we build our own bridge?"

I suggest that the commerce department take the lead in establishing a special team, or green channel, for green certification services, in conjunction with environmental protection, customs, and market supervision departments.

Companies looking to apply for EU or other high-end international certifications no longer need to search around aimlessly. Our dedicated team provides a one-stop service, from policy interpretation and standards guidance to application assistance, data verification, and document approval.

With various departments involved early and parallel approval processes, the time spent by companies running around and making repeated revisions has been significantly reduced. Our preliminary calculations suggest that, if successful, the overall process time could be halved!

During the meeting, someone questioned, "Isn't this giving preferential treatment to a few companies?"

Zhou Mingyu immediately responded: "This is not a special treatment; it's a fast track for all enterprises that align with the industry's direction and dare to transform and upgrade."

Tianye was the first, but certainly not the only one.

The rules are open and transparent; whoever has the ability and determination can take this path.

We help them onto the horse and give them a ride, hoping that the horse can run further on its own.

Regarding the financial pressure, he provided a more detailed breakdown: "A one-time subsidy alone is not enough. Equipment upgrades are not a one-off deal; ongoing maintenance, production ramp-up, and market expansion all require funds."

Especially during the upgrading and transformation period, the company's production capacity is affected, but wages, interest, and R&D investment cannot be stopped, resulting in the greatest pressure on cash flow.

I suggest that a portion of the existing industry support funds be allocated to establish a special fund for the green transformation of the manufacturing industry.

In addition to upfront subsidies, the key is to provide medium- and long-term low-interest loans, especially transitional working capital loans during the renovation period, with even greater interest rate discounts.

This is called providing timely help, helping businesses weather the most difficult and painful period of transformation.

This proposal resonated with many of the participating business representatives and financial institutions, sparking a lively discussion.

Addressing the shortage of technical talent, he proposed a more open approach: "Our local universities have weak capabilities in relevant majors, and we can't train enough in the short term. So let's borrow their expertise!"

The government will set up a platform for government-enterprise-university-research cooperation, and actively connect with top science and engineering universities, light industry colleges, and environmental protection research institutes in mainland China.

Enterprises raise problems and demands, universities provide technologies and solutions, and the government provides policies and subsidies to carry out joint research.

At the same time, we have implemented flexible talent introduction policies, which do not require talents to transfer their household registration. Talent can be brought in for project cooperation, short-term consulting, or remote guidance, primarily to attract intellectual support and address our professional shortcomings in international standards, green technologies, and foreign trade compliance.

Zhou Mingyu's suggestions not only reflect the mature experience of coastal areas, but also closely integrate with local realities and industrial characteristics. More importantly, they are all supported by the ongoing and persuasive case of Tianye Group.

After several rounds of thorough research, argumentation, and coordination, three key measures have been successively transformed from paper into reality:

The green certification green channel was first set up at the Municipal Administrative Service Center.

Tianye Group became the first to "take the plunge." Previously, the certification process required visiting four or five departments and repeatedly submitting large amounts of materials; now, it can be streamlined and guided through a single window. Xiao Wang from the Commerce Bureau even helped them establish direct communication with the certification body's domestic office, greatly improving efficiency.

Holding the materials list, which had been streamlined by a third, Engineer Chen exclaimed, "If we had had this pathway earlier, we could have avoided so many detours!"

The list of the first batch of pilot enterprises for the Enterprise Transformation Special Fund has been announced, and Tianye Group is prominently among them.

In addition to the subsidies they had previously secured, they also obtained a three-year loan with a very low interest rate, specifically to support operations during the upgrade period.

The CFO looked at the loan agreement and breathed a sigh of relief: "With this working capital coming in, I feel much more at ease. At least this year's financial statements won't look too bad, and it will be easier to explain to the bank."

At the first meeting of the government-enterprise-university-research cooperation platform, Tianye Group's technical challenges were directly raised.