Focus
Title role for Japanese worker
By Wang Wen (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-05 08:14
 |
Large Medium Small |
A 55-year-old Japanese named Aki Kishi, who has worked in Beijing for five years, is one of the two expats who were honored with the title Beijing Model Worker this year, the first time foreigners have been given the title.
He first heard about model workers in February when his company proposed nominating him. Officials in the Yizhuang Economic Development Zone where the company he works for is located, told him he was named as model worker on April 16. However, he said that prior to attending the Commendation Meeting for Model Workers in Beijing on April 20, he did not really understand the title.
"I did not think it was a big thing at the beginning but when I attended the Commendation Meeting, I realized it was really an important honor," he said.
Aki Kishi and the other 1,240 model workers wore formal clothes and had big red paper flowers on their chests - a Chinese symbol of honor - as they received the title from the Mayor and Party Secretary of the city.
He said that he was ashamed to receive the title of Model Worker because in Japan a similar honor is bestowed on people who have worked in an industry for more than 30 years, and he had only worked in Beijing for five years.
|
Fifty-five-year-old Japanese Aki Kishi,who has worked in Beijing for five years,is one of the two expats who were honored with the title Beijing Model Worker this year. |
Aki Kishi came to Beijing to work in Beijing Tide Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd as senior consultant in Yizhuang Economic Development Zone in May 2005 when he was 50.
"He called me one day in 2005 and said he planned to work in Beijing," said Li Hong, human resource manager in the company.
Li said she had a mixed reaction when she received the call, because Aki Kishi was a senior manager in Japan with a great deal of experience, but the company could not afford his wages.
But Kishi said he wasn't coming for the money - his salary in Beijing is one third his wage in Japan - he wanted to offer his services to help the Beijing medical company build factories and production lines, which could meet international standards.
Li said she received the message that expats could be nominated as model workers in February and she immediately thought of Kishi.
"There are many expats working in Beijing now, but Aki Kishi is different from other expats, who do business only for money here," Li said. "He can meet every standard for model workers in China."
