Not Seeking Empty Fame but Doing Solid Work
— Interview with Xia Hongxing, General Manager of Carbon Recycling International's Joint Venture in China

Oil magnate Rockefeller once said, “Our destiny is determined by our actions, not by our origins.” Since the reform and opening up, a large number of outstanding self-made professional managers, who have carved out their own careers with their own intelligence, have been born in China. Xia Hongxing, a senior professional manager, is one of them. In the 1990s, Xia Hongxing, following the wave of reform and opening up, broke into the energy industry alone and struggled in this industry for more than 20 years. In the interview, he enthusiastically shared with us his interesting stories and opinions in his work. Whenever he talked about the industry of energy and environmental protection, he always poured out words. Innovation, perseverance, pragmatism, social responsibility and sustainable development are not only the basis for the survival of the enterprise but also the development concept that Xia Hongxing always adheres to.

A Time Will Come to Ride the Wind and Cleave the Waves─ Accumulation

“A journey of a thousand miles may not be achieved without accumulation of each single step, just as the enormous ocean may not be formed without gathering every brook or stream.” The history of senior professional manager Xia Hongxing fully confirms the remark. Xia Hongxing once worked in a private enterprise in Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province for 10 years, and then successively worked in three large international energy companies: Germany Lurgi Gmbh, British Petroleum PLC and French TotalEnergies. He has been deeply involved in the energy industry for more than 20 years and has professional and unique opinions on energy utilization and environmental protection. “I have worked in the energy industry for more than 20 years. Carbon dioxide isn't strange to me, I can better understand the importance of energy conservation and emission reduction.” Based on the awareness of potential dangers, Xia Hongxing joined the joint venture of Carbon Recycling International (CRI), Icelandic firm, in China in 2017, and was committed to the cause of emission reduction and environmental protection.

In 2007, Xia Hongxing's team said in an interview with reporters at the International Coal & Energy New Industry Expo: “The International Coal & Energy New Industry Expo has built a good platform for enterprises to have face-to-face communication with international advanced technology transferors and providers. We have also contacted some coal mining enterprises in Shanxi before and found that those enterprises are doing well. I especially hope to find some partners who pay attention to environmental protection this time. ” It can be seen that Xia Hongxing has long realized the importance of environmental protection and has been committed to the cause of emission reduction. When working for BP PLC, Xia Hongxing's team cooperated with Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for realization of the clean and efficient utilization of coal and the method of making a kilogram of coal create more economic value but emitting the least carbon dioxide. That cooperation truly integrates enterprises, universities and research institutes, and improves the utilization efficiency of coal from the root.

As a practitioner in the energy industry, Xia Hongxing has a deeper understanding of energy conservation and emission reduction. “As Das Kapital said, capital comes dripping from head to foot, from every pore, with blood and dirt. The early development of Western energy companies may not be so glorious, but they still have a certain sense of social responsibility after they grew up. These energy companies are under great social pressure, and the biggest pressure comes from the reduction of carbon dioxide emission.” In the interview, Xia Hongxing told the most impressive thing to him. During Xia Hongxing's tenure at French TotalEnergies, TotalEnergies invested in the world's first industrial integration project of coal to olefin in Inner Mongolia, China, with the joint investment of about USD 4 billion, but the project was terminated after 6 or 7 years. One of the main reasons for the termination is related to carbon dioxide emissions. “The annual carbon dioxide emission of the project is close to 6 million tons, which is very frightening. The project emits 10% of the total carbon dioxide emissions of all the global projects of TotalEnergies, the world's fourth largest oil company.” This will undoubtedly bring great pressure on China's environment and even worse for China's environmental governance.

Human beings exhale carbon dioxide all the time, which makes carbon dioxide emissions inevitable. Therefore, whether the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions is a palliative rather than an ultimate solution depends on how to absorb and transform the emitted carbon dioxide. In 2017, Xia Hongxing resigned from TotalEnergies and joined Icelandic Carbon Recycling International (CRI) to form its first joint venture in China. His main research field has also shifted from the original emission of carbon dioxide to the current absorption and consumption of carbon dioxide. Headquartered in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, CRI has mastered the advanced technology of carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol — extracting carbon dioxide from industrial emissions and renewable energy, and refining it into ultra-low-carbon liquid as vehicle fuel and renewable methanol. The core goal of enterprises is to make a benefit, which comes from the core competitiveness of enterprises, and the core technology often plays a decisive role in the core competitiveness. ETL Technology developed by CRI is currently the only industrial carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol project in the world, which provides a foundation for CRI to gain a foothold in the renewable and sustainable energy industry. Meanwhile, it also brings more customer attention and wider market than ordinary enterprises.

CRI has provided operable solutions to deal with climate change and control air pollution. It is full of ambition and wants to make carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol plants blossom and bear fruit all over the world. However, the concept of using renewable resources had not been developed in China at that time, and CRI could not find a way to start its business. Xia Hongxing said: “As a foreign-funded private enterprise, the government support is relatively weak, and we must rely on our own efforts.” For this purpose, Xia Hongxing led the team to set up Maifenlong (Shanghai) Environmental Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. to conduct in-depth research and investigation on the Chinese market. “It took us nearly a year to basically determine the Company's future development strategy and aim at the direction of market development.” In 2019, the industrial production equipment of carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol, the first carbon dioxide recycling demonstration project of the joint venture of CRI, was officially constructed by Xia Hongxing's company in Anyang, Henan. On May 26, 2021, Mr. Gunnar Snorri Gunnarsson, the ambassador of Iceland to China, and his party visited the site of the demonstration project and made a field visit to the construction site of methanol project. Xia Hongxing introduced the project in detail. The project is the world's first set of green and environmental protection and the demonstration project of low-carbon circular economy for large-scale use of greenhouse gas. It has very important demonstration significance for improving the green environmental protection image of Anyang in Henan Province and even the whole country.

Without experience, you can't know well anything new. More than 20 years of working experience in the energy industry has created today's Xia Hongxing and the joint venture of CRI in China. It is the Xia Hongxing's valuable experience that makes Xia Hongxing deeply realize the importance of energy conservation and emission reduction and gain insight into the future development trend of the energy industry. With rich experience and knowledge as well as keen market insight, Xia Hongxing complied with the appeal of energy conservation and emission reduction and opened a new stage of his career.

A Gentleman Hides His Tools in His Body and Waits for the Time to Move — Opportunity

Xia Hongxing caught up with the upsurge of China's green and low-carbon development policy after joining CRI. In September 2020, Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China said at the General Debate of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly that “China aim to have CO₂ emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.” In July 2021, China's national carbon trading market started online trading. Low carbon has set off a new upsurge in China. From this aspect, Xia Hongxing's decision to join CRI and enter the Chinese market seems very forward-looking. “I didn't know it would come so soon at that time, but I firmly believe that my decision to join CRI is correct, and I am optimistic about this industrial direction.”

“China is a country with a large population and a huge energy consumer. Its energy efficiency is not high. Meanwhile, our energy shortage and security are worrisome. Looking at these aspects, the Chinese government will certainly move in the direction of carbon emission reduction.” Xia Hongxing has his own views on China's efforts to promote carbon emission reduction. “The Chinese government has done this after careful consideration. Carbon emission reduction is both a pressure and a driving force for our country's industry. The key to the question lies in how enterprises view carbon emission reduction. In the short term, resource-based enterprises will bear great pressure, but in the long run, carbon emission reduction will promote the adjustment of industrial structure and achieve sustainable development.”

As a country rich in carbon, short of gas and poor in oil, China's energy structure is dominated by coal, so coal use will inevitably emit carbon dioxide. In the 1990s, China was in the great upsurge of reform and opening up. At that time, China's industrialization was developing rapidly like a galloping horse, but it brought great pressure to the environment. China's total carbon emissions in the 1990s accounted for only 11% of the world, while China's carbon emissions reached 28% of the world in 2019. “The utilization efficiency of China's coal may not reach 60% of that of developed countries, that is, the heat of a kilogram of coal can create a value of RMB 10,000 in Japan, but that may only be RMB 3,000 or 4,000 in China. Our carbon emissions are several times that of these developed countries, so we are under great pressure internationally. ”

In 2021, the national carbon emissions trading market launched online trading. When asked how to view the opening of the carbon trading market, Xia Hongxing said: “it is an exciting thing for individuals, enterprises, our country and the whole world. The carbon trading market actually acts as a lever to adjust economic and social behaviors. ” The carbon trading market affects the production activities of enterprises through the price level of carbon, and the high price will drive enterprises to develop in the direction of emission reduction. Many a little makes a mickle. When more and more enterprises are affected by the carbon trading market, the effect on the industrial structure is bound to occur, which can promote sustained and balanced economic development and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the world. In Xia Hongxing's view, the opening of the national carbon emissions trading market will not only bring opportunities for macro development but also have a profound impact on individuals. “The carbon trading market is expected to make the concept of energy conservation and emission reduction deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, affect everyone's behavior and habits, and form a feeling of environmentalism. ”

Bacon once said: “It is extremely important to be good at identifying and grasping opportunities. In all big businesses, people should look at their opportunities like thousands of eyes before starting to do things, and seize the opportunity when they go on.” It is no accident that Xia Hongxing and CRI can enjoy the dividend policy. It is their advanced vision and scientific decision-making that enable them to seize the opportunity, distinguish themselves and achieve their ambitions in the environmental protection industry.

The Gentleman Shall Study and Practice Hard —Pragmatism

“Studying the nature of things, seeking truth and advocating practice” is an attitude, which depends on the quality of workers to a certain extent. No one is born to do something, but slowly learns in the process of self-cultivation. An excellent professional manager needs to develop a realistic and pragmatic attitude in such practice to analyze all kinds of information around him. The upsurge of entrepreneurship in the 1990s may lead to some person's success because of personal different resource endowments or accidental opportunities. However, in today's context of globalization, we must first understand where we are, how far we are from our goals and how can we reach the other shore. We must be able to find a gap and space that are suitable for our survival before we can develop ourselves on the basis of survival, which also coincides with the pragmatic spirit mentioned by Xia Hongxing many times.

When asked about the suggestions for contemporary young professional managers, Xia Hongxing said, “First of all, young professional managers shall judge what they like. Actually, they need to know more about all aspects of knowledge, and then do something they like in combination with the knowledge of their own. It doesn't matter if they make a mistake at first. They can try it several times before they can find out which one they prefer to do. ” As the old saying goes, “The gentleman shall study and practice hard”, which means that the gentleman always think carefully and organically combine what he has learned with the profession that he is engaged in. Learning is not the ultimate goal, learning for practical use is more important. For contemporary young people, Xia Hongxing gave such a message:“People shall turn life into a scientific dream and realize the dream by establishing correct values, being full of curiosity, persevering, guarding against arrogance and impetuosity, and going up forever. ” One shall get along with people quite well, so does an enterprise with others. We shall not talk incessantly but explore step by step and do solid work in a down-to-earth way. The most fundamental thing for an enterprise is to make good products, provide good services and have good economic benefits. “In this way, you will harvest, and the flowers will keep themselves blooming all your way. ”

On September 27, 2021, Xia Hongxing led Carbon Recycling International(CRI) to sign a 100,000-ton green methanol project with Jiangsu Sierbang Petrochemical Co., Ltd. profoundly practicing the spirit of pragmatism.

Be the First to Worry the Woes of the people — Responsibility

As the leaders of enterprises, professional managers are an elite group of the society, and they must deal with the relationship between the individual and society well. Only with a strong sense of responsibility and mission, to help social development as their own responsibility, surpass the traditional thinking of maximizing economic interests, and integrate individual interests and enterprise operations into the overall interests of the society, can they get the trust and respect of all social parties, so as to achieve greater development. To be a successful professional manager, they should and must possess the basic entrepreneurial spirit of responsibility and play a leading role in the society. “If a professional manager only has the ability, but does not undertake the social responsibility, then he is not enough to become a successful one. At present, there are a lot of professional managers in China that I respect and look up to. One point they have in common is that they devote their time and energy more to creating the social value.” Xia Hongxing believes that responsibility is always the most important, and the social responsibility is even more. Clarifying the personal social role and positioning, responding positively to expectations and demands of the society, fostering a strong positive enterprise culture, adhering to law-based and compliance operations and mutual beneficial cooperation, leading the enterprise to achieve good business performance, and making greater contribution to the sustainable economic and social development of China and even the world at large, are the historical responsibilities of new era for Chinese professional managers and also the core connotation of their social responsibility.

Xia Hongxing has been practicing responsibility in his own field as well. To promote the development of China's emission reduction cause, he visited throughout the country and participated in coal chemical industry related meetings for many times, such as The 7th China New Coal Chemical Industry International Symposium and Coal Chemical Industry Low carbon and High Quality Development Forum, Seminar on Comprehensive Utilization of Coke Oven Gas and Special Promotion Conference on Key Supporting Equipment. He has also been committed to promoting the large-scale popularization and application of methanol from carbon dioxide, contributing to the cause of carbon dioxide emission reduction in China. Xia Hongxing also has his own views on energy, and he has put forward suggestions for the new energy development for the country. He believes that China's current subsidies for new energy vehicles are too high and unsustainable, and that the policy is also being questioned. “Objectively speaking, many new energy resources today may not be sustainable. However, if the subsidy funds for new energy are dispersed, so as to leverage the construction of many methanol units, it is of great benefit to the national energy and environment. ” At the same time, Xia Hongxing, starting from his own point of view, thinks that it remains to be seen whether new energy will become the mainstream of the future.

This is what Xia Hongxing said for contemporary young people: “If one does not care about politics, or society, this is actually an irresponsible behavior. Young people today in particular may not understand. They think they can just do their job well. That's not really the case, every young person should be concerned about politics.”Juvenile strong and China strong, Juvenile wise and China wise! If even the juveniles don't care about national politics, then it will be difficult for a country to maintain healthy growth, and its future will be worrying.

Whether for the individual, enterprise or the country, “pragmatism” and“social responsibility” have always been two essential life values that Xia Hongxing emphasizes. He believes “sustainable development” is a topic that must be concerned to operate an enterprise. In the process of undertaking social responsibility, enterprises, including professional managers, should work together with the government in various ways to create a virtuous cycle. “When the country needs, the enterprise can respond” is an essential belief for enterprises. Xia Hongxing has successfully led CRI on the road to emission reduction in China, and he is committed to becoming a leader in this industry.

(Liu Minpu　Meng Wei)