At the top of his class in glass

Li Zhaoting, founder and chairman of Tunghsu group, a leading Chinese maker of advanced glass for multimedia displays. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Tunghsu chairman on the secrets of his success and vision for the future.

A successful entrepreneur who has piggybacked on the economic laissez faire and prosperity in China, Li Zhaoting has started from a State-owned factory technician in Hebei province to become the founder and chairman of Tunghsu group, a leading Chinese maker of advanced glass for multimedia displays, including mobile phone touch-pads. It boasts a staff of 15,000 workers including hundreds of experts from overseas. As a symbol of the expanding private business clout in the Chinese society, Li is also a delegate to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature. He recently spoke to China Daily about his early years, the secret of his business success, his dreams and wishes for the new year.

China Daily: What were your dreams when you were young?

Li: My first dream was to go to college, as I grew up in the 1980s when attending school was more important than eating one's meal. After college, at age 24, I entered a State factory and worked as a technician. But as I rose through the ranks to be a plant manager and later the factory's vice-general manager, I realized my dream was drifting away from me because of the realities and constraints of the (State-owned) system. So one day I finally told myself it was time for me to take a new career path.

And your dream now?

Since I set up Tunghsu 17 years ago, I've been nourishing it like my own baby. My dream for my company has always been the same: I hope it will prosper to help drive the rise of the whole photoelectric industry in China.

I think I'm a very patriotic person. All employees are required to attend the flag-raising ceremony in the first week of each month. The pride is beyond my words as I sing the national anthem with my staff while the five-star national flag goes up. Our commitments to the nation have also been written into the lyrics of our corporate song.

How did you handle hardships and setbacks in your early career?

We produce high-tech, sophisticated and upstream glass products that used to be dominated by American and Japanese makers. Our TFT LCD glass substrate production line, the first of its kind in China, went into operation in 2008 only after hundreds of technical failures.

But come to think of it, the biggest test for any budding Chinese entrepreneur was probably not technological difficulties or sleepless nights, but distrust from all corners of the society. Besides competitors, some domestic experts were also suspicious of our capabilities. Some even went into such lengths as to write to the top Chinese leaders, about their lack of confidence in a private company in producing advanced glass. But later the government approved our projects after several inspections and continued to lend its support to us. Without the government's trust, we would never have become what we are today.