BEIJING: Five years ago, when Zou Bin first spoke to the media as a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC), he was nervous. Standing in front of journalists at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the venue for the full sessions of the NPC, China’s top legislature, the then 23-year-old felt overwhelmed by the situation and the responsibility.
This year, Zou, reelected to serve from 2023 to 2028, is much more poised and confident.
“I will continue to be a voice for all frontline construction workers, helping to address their concerns and improve their work and life,” Zou told Beijing Review.
Born into a family of construction workers in a village in Xinhua County, Hunan Province, Zou began working as an apprentice bricklayer 200 km away in Changsha, the provincial capital. As a new apprentice still learning his trade, a typical day for Zou consisted of laying bricks, breaking them down, and laying them again until he was completely satisfied with his work.
Despite the daily pain from his physical exertions, Zou persisted in perfecting his skills, and it was this dedication and attention to detail that have seen him excel in his career. In two years, Zou became a fully qualified bricklayer and reached the first major turning point of his life.
In April 2014, when working at a construction site of China Construction Fifth Engineering Division Corp. in Changsha, Zou’s employer asked if he was willing to participate in a worker skills competition held by the company. Zou took the offer and ended up winning first place in his age group.
In July that year, he entered and won a national skills competition and then began receiving national training in preparation for international competitions.
In 2015, Zou won a Medallion for Excellence in bricklaying at the 43rd WorldSkills Competition, held in Brazil, setting a record for China in this field.
“Winning the world competition changed not only my life, but also my attitude toward my career and bricklaying,” Zou said, adding that through training and competing, he realized that bricklaying could be technically very sophisticated. The experience helped him gain a better understanding of what craftsmanship is. “It was way more than a means for making a living,” he said.
When he returned to work, Zou was recruited as a construction quality controller for China Construction Fifth Engineering Division Corp. In the following years, he received several national awards, including the China Youth May Fourth Medal—the top honor for outstanding young Chinese people, and the title of National Model Worker.
Zou was also given the chance to share his skills and his stories with his colleagues and other people across the country at various seminars, inspiring more workers to improve their skills and become craftspeople.
–The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
