Profile
Zhou Chong is a deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and an outstanding college graduate, who holds a major in mechanical manufacturing from the Open University of China’s Guangzhou Branch.
He enrolled on the programme back in the fall of 2015, and is now assistant manager of the Department of Security and Environmental Protection at Huangpu Stevedoring Branch Company. Zhou is also vice chairman of the 13th session of the Guangzhou Youth Federation. He has been awarded the titles "Good Man of China" and the "National Moral Model Nomination Award” and he was received by the general secretary twice, in 2013 and 2018.
In June 2012, a 3-year-old girl in the Dongpu residential area of Tianhe District, Guangzhou, lost her footing and hung suspended from a 4th floor balcony. Her head and neck were stuck between the metal bars of a security fence. Zhou, who was passing by, climbed up to the 3rd floor and managed to hold the girl up for more than 10 minutes until she was successfully rescued. He then left in silence. Zhou, who had just arrived in Guangzhou to work, was hailed as a civilian hero and the "turning point" of his life began.
Ahead of the 2023 National People’s Congress, Zhou has a new identity as part of the 14th NPC. "Becoming a deputy means that I have an even greater responsibility,” he said. “Before, I only needed to think from the viewpoint of the company, but now I’m speaking out for the people in Guangzhou, the Greater Bay Area and the whole of Guangdong Province.”
At this year's NPC, Zhou suggested that large state-owned enterprises (SOEs) set up technical colleges. There are currently an abundance of graduates from higher vocational colleges, but their prospects for employment are far from optimistic. Many students learn "broad" knowledge which lacks “intensity” and is not "specific" enough to cater to the needs of enterprises. One such example is electric welding, which can be divided into many different types. “If the syllabus is too general, students leave college lacking a competitive advantage,” he said. "Skilled technicians need to specialize and gain expertise in certain areas, exploring a field deeper to stand out and make a difference.”
By playing a role in the running of schools, Zhou believes SOEs could address the issue arising from unmatched supply and demand. At the moment, “popular” majors offered by schools often turn out to be unpopular among enterprises. As a solution, the latter could help establish majors that correspond to the positions demanded by enterprises, training highly skilled personnel and improving the employment rate. On this note, Zhou called for greater policy and economic support for SOEs so that they can play an active role in the process.
Compiled by OUC News Network