Exploring New Roads of Development

    A few years ago, Ye Maoxi began to put together a few observations on a most significant matter. "More than 300,000 Wenzhounese reside in Beijing, most of them doing business. Information makes money. Through activities organized by a chamber of commerce, people can exchange views on innovation and management, and learn from one another." He presided over the preparation of the Wenzhou Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, launched in 2007, and was elected its first president. "I am a warmhearted man, and serving others is a great pleasure for me. Actually helping others is to help oneself. I don't expect any repayment, but very often rewards come to me unexpectedly."

    Ye Maoxi is leading the chamber of commerce in exploring development through low-cost expansion. On October 8, 2008, the Beijing chamber and Australia's Illawarra Bureau of Economic Development and the Illawarra Chamber of Commerce agreed on formal, friendly cooperation. Talking about this, Ye Maoxi was excited, "We will lead the Wenzhounese in Beijing, in other parts of the country, and worldwide, in seeking common development and participation in competition in the international market. We will make progress every day and repay our hometown, motherland and society with our wealth."

    Ye Maoxi has the defining blueprint in his mind. He says he seeks to establish experimental units in one or two cities in western, northeastern and central China, to explore applications of new Wenzhou models.

Opening Overseas Markets

    Ye Maoxi considers the world financial crisis a rare opportunity for Chinese enterprises to expand worldwide, even though it's a "cold snap" for Wenzhou's export-oriented enterprises. He urges them to seek development in adversity, strengthen their confidence by "hanging together" and prepare to open a "second battlefront" abroad.

    Ye Maoxi visited Britain in early 2009 as a member of a Chinese Delegation of Trade and Economics. He found that, due to the financial crisis, Britain's Propeller TV Station no longer receives government subsidies and welcomes strategic investors. Ye Maoxi realized that purchasing a satellite TV station with pan-European coverage presented an uncommon chance for Wenzhou businesspeople to expand overseas.

    He said that he would use his stake in this publicity engine to spread Chinese culture, etiquette, history, folklore, and economic development – not to mention Chinese brand names. He aims to inspire European interest in China, find affinities for Chinese-Europeans toward their homeland, and build a cultural bridge between China and Europe.