China Daily | July 10, 2017
Sun Jianbo is the Party Secretary of Yuanshan forest farm in Zibo, Shandong province. Although challenged by a serious physical disability, Sun turned the loss-making farm into a profitable one after 20 years' hard work. He took over four public institutions which were in difficult financial circumstances in the past 20 years, safeguarding jobs for about 10,000 people.
Sun was born in Shandong in 1959. He has been the Party Secretary of Yuanshan forest farm in Zibo, vice chairman of the China Association of People with Physical Disabilities and chairman of the Shandong Association of People with Physical Disabilities.
A responsible leader
As the Party Secretary of Yuanshan forest farm, Sun in 20 years turned the loss-making farm into one of the most profitable in China, and became a role model for State-owned forest farms' industrial reform. Sun has been received by President Xi Jinping and former president Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin. In 2005, former premier Wen Jiabao asked all State-owned forest farms to learn from Yuanshan's experience in industrial reform. In 2014, representatives of more than 600 such farms visited Yuanshan forest farm for research and analysis.
Charity work
In recent years, Sun took over four public institutions at risk of bankruptcy and maintained about 10,000 jobs for local residents. Yuanshan donated over 17,000 dollars to an accessibility construction project in Zibo, and established a volunteer private car service team to help the disabled with transportation. Yuanshan has been creating new jobs for people with disabilities, and has become a national demonstration area for its willingness to create outstanding teams, all eager to serve the disabled.
Working with the NPC
Sun was elected as a deputy to the 12th NPC, where he submitted 37 suggestions on promoting the livelihood of people with disabilities. Sun talked with Premier Li Keqiang when Li attended the Shandong delegation meeting. In order to encourage more people with disabilities, Sun published a book named Chasing the Sun, based on his own experience.
At Sun's suggestion, a "Love Yuanshan" volunteer team was set up and designated as a national model charity group by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China.
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