Exclusive conversation with Dong Mingzhu: Sending more excellent employees to military camps

In the eyes of the public, Dong Mingzhu, a delegate to the National People’s Congress and Chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances, is a decisive female entrepreneur. She is a fighter who rose from an ordinary salesperson to the helm of a company and a pioneer who proclaimed, “Let the world fall in love with Chinese manufacturing.”

Actually, Dong Mingzhu is also a military-supporting entrepreneur. In March 2023, Gree Electric Appliances was selected as one of the first socially supported military enterprises nationwide.

Last year at the National Two Sessions, in response to a live question from China Retired Soldiers All-Media Reporter, Dong Mingzhu said, “Gree Electric Appliances sends employees to join the military every year.”

Dong Mingzhu’s response piqued our interest.

After a year of attention and research, the following data and facts have become clearer—

Since 2019, Gree Electric Appliances has consistently sent outstanding employees to the military for six consecutive years. To date, 122 employees have enlisted. In 2021 and 2022, Gree Electric was consecutively awarded the title of “Advanced Unit in Zhuhai Military Recruitment Work.”

From 2019 to now, Gree Electric has recruited a total of 625 retired soldiers, with 1,453 veterans currently employed in the group.

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With the support of local veteran affairs systems, Gree Electric has established a veteran service center and is exploring a full-chain support mechanism that “counts military service as work experience, guarantees positions after discharge, and prioritizes promotions,” to alleviate employees’ worries about enlistment.

At this year’s Two Sessions, Dong Mingzhu gave an exclusive interview to “China Retired Soldiers,” sharing the company’s long-standing commitment to selecting outstanding employees for military service and supporting national defense. The interview content is as follows:

You have mentioned on multiple occasions your admiration for soldiers. Can you share where this sentiment comes from?

Many of my classmates are soldiers. I also like soldiers and love the military, admiring the rigorous style of the armed forces. Wearing a military uniform means holding oneself to higher standards and taking on greater responsibilities. Soldiers possess many excellent qualities.

You personally attend the enlistment ceremonies every year. Why do you attach such importance to this work?

Employees are the most valuable asset of a company. Sending employees to the military is empowering their growth. Learning management from the military, adopting soldiers’ work style, and sending employees to the military for training are the most direct and effective ways to cultivate military discipline. Gree Electric has always actively responded to recruitment efforts. Now, recruitment has evolved from a single point at the Zhuhai headquarters to nationwide coordination, aiming to supply more high-quality talent to the military. Whenever time permits, I will continue to participate in the enlistment ceremonies.

What qualities of retired soldiers do you think can help the company’s development?

Retired soldiers possess many excellent qualities, the most significant being their strong organizational discipline. Through military training, they develop a sense of the big picture and responsibility. They follow the company’s development direction with firm conviction; they complete assigned tasks decisively. This execution ability is a vital driving force for the company’s growth.

Does Gree Electric have mechanisms in place to ensure that enlisted employees can serve with peace of mind and have no worries after discharge?

As more employees enlist, we are continuously improving support mechanisms to effectively protect the rights and interests of veteran employees and help them grow.

In 2021, with the support of Zhuhai Veterans Affairs Bureau, Gree Electric established a veteran service center with dedicated staff to provide comprehensive services such as education and training, policy publicity, and visits. In talent development, we helped 56 veterans obtain special skills certificates, assisted 50 in upgrading their education, and several veterans have won awards in skills competitions. Every year on “August 1,” we hold activities caring for veterans. We have selected 93 “Most Beautiful Veterans” from Gree Electric for seven consecutive years, setting an example within the company.

In 2024, we will convert military service years into work experience and link it to employees’ salary and benefits. This measure has received unanimous praise from veteran employees. After years of improvement, Gree Electric has formed a full-chain support mechanism of “military service counts as work experience, guarantees positions after discharge, and prioritizes promotions,” actively supporting national defense.

What do you think entrepreneurs should bear in terms of social responsibility? What are Gree Electric’s future plans for practicing patriotism and supporting national defense?

The company’s sense of independence and the patriotism of entrepreneurs are closely linked. When I first proposed the slogan “Let the world fall in love with Chinese manufacturing,” the goal was to build an independent brand and let the world understand China. Gree Electric always adheres to “what the country needs, Gree provides.” Sending soldiers to the military and supporting national defense are extensions and practices of Gree’s patriotism.

Running a solid and responsible enterprise is the most basic and important social responsibility of an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs must be responsible not only for their work but also for society—without a strong nation, there can be no enterprise development. I deeply understand this. In the future, Gree Electric will continue to support national defense, not only by sending more outstanding talents to the military but also by leveraging its R&D advantages to deliver advanced technology and products to the armed forces.

Author: China Retired Soldiers All-Media Reporter Wen Hao

Editor on duty: Xiao Bohua

Chief Editor on duty: Wang Dongyang

Supervised by: Zhou Yong Liu Xin