Mr. Xie Kongzhu was born in a remote village in Shanxian County in December 1968. Although his ancestors were a prominent family, his family fell into poverty during his father's generation. His childhood memories were rather bleak: walking barefoot on wooden clogs through ice and snow for six miles to school, three times a day; doing heavy farm work that mismatched his frail physique; and the recurring anxiety over tuition fees before each semester. Driven by a deep desire to change his fate, he exclusively applied to business schools, believing that the word "business" was synonymous with wealth and dreams.
He was admitted to Guangdong Business School. With a few hundred yuan borrowed by his mother, he traveled alone to Guangzhou. Confronted by the high cost of living, his romantic vision of university life was shattered, but he resolved never to burden his parents again. He spent four years working part-time—carrying stones, selling water, and working as a security guard. These hardships forged his unyielding perseverance. After graduation, he worked his way up from a clerk to the General Manager of the Qingdao Company of the Provincial Plastics Group in just ten years, driven by his diligence and eagerness to learn.
In 2005, an inspection tour to the United States awakened his long-dormant entrepreneurial dreams. He soon resigned from his lucrative state-owned enterprise position to embark on a challenging entrepreneurial journey. With his expertise, management experience, and a commitment to integrity, he grew a small company with a registered capital of 500,000 RMB into an industry leader with annual sales reaching hundreds of millions. Later, he founded Shandong Meibang Real Estate Co., Ltd., making the unconventional but visionary choice to invest in low-profit rural reconstruction projects in his hometown, which proved highly resilient during subsequent real estate market adjustments.
Demonstrating remarkable foresight, Mr. Xie later established Qingdao Manchester Technology Investment Co., Ltd. He strategically navigated the investment industry by providing short-term, low-interest financing within his business association and seeking equity investments in promising, tech-driven small companies, anticipating the future opening of financial market access for private capital.
Despite his busy schedule, Mr. Xie travels abroad once or twice a year with his family to broaden his horizons and find new inspiration. Known for his elegant and humble demeanor, his office is filled with classical literature, particularly Song Dynasty Ci poetry, which he believes offers a balance of strength and gentleness, much like running a business.
A loyal friend and a grateful individual, Mr. Xie has consistently repaid those who helped him in his youth and has established scholarships at his alma maters to support underprivileged students. He attributes his success and broad-mindedness to his mother, whose integrity, resilience, and profound care for employees deeply shaped his values. Today, as Chairman of Qingdao Tiansu Petrochemical Co., Ltd. and Vice President of the Qingdao Heze Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Xie continues to lead his company with wisdom, integrity, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence.
