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Chen Kai – equipment examiner
Chen once worked at the Gushuyuan Colliery owned by Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Mining Group. As the coal deposits have been depleted, he was transferred to a new post at Wangtang Thermo Electricity, a branch of Shanxi Jinju Coal Chemical and Power in November 2016.
Zhou Min – yoga coach
Zhou was once a staff member at Shanxi Yangquan Coal Industry Co for 12 years. Faced with redundancy, she signed an entrepreneurship agreement with the company and opened a yoga gym in September 2016. There are now more than 30 regular attendees at her classes.
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Li Wenqi – operator of a restaurant
Li has had a keen interest in cooking since his childhood and thus applied to his former employer –– Shanxi Yangquan Coal Industry Co –– to start a new business. After research and investigation, Li opened his restaurant in early 2017 and now has a significant number of regular customers.
Dong Jin, Shi Yongfeng – safety guards of a hospital
The two former miners were transferred to the new posts along with 100 other workers as Xishan Coal Electricity set up a security guard in July 2016. The guard has so far employed some 490 staff members from collieries owned by the company.
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Li Fujun – operator of multiple stores
Once a worker at a material supply station of Sijiazhuang Coal, Li started his own business when faced with redundancy due to overcapacity in the coal industry. He now has multiple stores selling water purifiers equipped with magnetic devices.
Bi Zhihui – photographer
In June 2016, Bi applied to Chengzhuang Colliery of Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Mining Group to retain his post while taking unpaid leave to establish a studio making short films, where he later met his future wife.
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Gen Shijie – operator of a vegetable store
Gen previously worked at Nanling Coal, a subsidiary of Shanxi Yangquan Coal Industry Co, and applied to the company for the right to set up his own business in 2015. He decided to run a vegetable store directly distributing fresh vegetables to customers’ homes.
Li Baolin – worker in a flour processing factory
Li was once responsible for the transportation sector at Baijiazhuang Colliery in Taiyuan. The colliery was closed in October 2016 due to overcapacity in the coal industry. Li then went to work in a local flour processing factory, which was a stopgap measure.
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Li Bo – operator of a decoration company
Li opened a decoration company after applying for permission to his employer, Shanxi Yangquan Coal Industry Co, to leave and start his own business in 2015.
Mu Jinping – worker responsible for desulfurization of coal and flue gas
As the Wantaipu Colliery owned by Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Mining Group plans to close following resource depletion, Mu, along with 11 colleagues, had new positions arranged at the company in November 2016. He is now responsible for desulfurization of coal and flue gas.
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Li Mu'en – runner of a print company
Li founded the company after he left Shanxi Yangquan Coal Industry Co in 2015. Li claimed that he finds a lot of pleasure in the challenges and opportunities brought about by opening a new business.
Wang Yuqi – owner of 24-hour multiple bookstores
The 33-year-old man worked at Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Mining Group for 10 years. Wang decided to resign and open a bookstore in 2015 as the company planned to reduce staff due to overcapacity in the coal industry. His first multi-functional bookshop was opened at the end of 2015, followed by two bookstores in Datong and Yuncheng in 2016.
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Zhang Jing –laundress in a pharmaceutical company
A former mineworker at Gushuyuan Colliery affiliated to Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Mining Group before October 2016, Zhang was later arranged a new job in another subsidiary of the group and has become accustomed to the new post.
Wang Zhenhua – farmer
Wang took part in entrepreneurship training organized by Shanxi Coking Coal Group in April 2016 while working in the group’s Nanguan Colliery, which inspired him to start his own business. He then built an eco-farm which integrates agriculture and tourism in his hometown.