NEN-English

Today, a long-wished dream becomes true – to be honored with the Liaoning Friendship Award – the highest honor that Liaoning Province awards to foreign experts.

I feel deeply touched and honored by this award. Please allow me to express, on behalf of all foreign experts honored today, our sincere thanks to all leaders of Liaoning Province and all people who made this possible. Thank you! Thank you all!

My first time in China was in 1988, when I came as an exchange student, to study Chinese language and culture. During this time, I fell deeply in love with the country of thousands of years of history and culture.

From the very beginning, I felt this very special connection to China, as if I have returned home and I knew I would stay in China in order to become a part of this great culture.
I started working in China in 1995. In 1997 I joined, as CFO, RHI Refractories Liaoning Co., Ltd. the first JV-company invested by RHI group – the biggest refractory company in the world.

In 2002, RHI headquater nominated me as General Manager of RHIL. Especially the strong support of the local and provincial government of China is the key of our JV success. Our JV-company developed steadily and became stronger and stronger. Our headquarter acknowledges our positive development by investing every year new refractory product lines. Encouraged by our JV-company success, RHI headquarter decided to set up a second company in Liaoning Province.

If we all look back to the year 2003, we remember that 2003 was a very tough year – because SARS swept over China.

At that time, a lot of foreign investors did not dare to come to China, and also many foreign experts who were in China at that time, left China because of SARS. For me there was never the question to leave China, because I am responsible for my people. This is comparable to be a captain on ship. The captain is the last one who leaves the ship. Therefore I stayed during the SARS time in China and lead RHIL safely through this stormy time. I also managed to set up the investment in Dalian of RHI Group, which required a lot of traveling to Beijing, Dalian and Yingkou. A lot of people were shocked by my courage, but at the end we succeeded to set up RHI Dalian Co., Ltd. in only two months – despite SARS. Of course, without the strong support and help of the China Government and Liaoning Provincial Government, this would be never been possible. Hereon, please allow me to express on behalf of the RHI group our deep respects and sincere thanks to the China Government and Liaoning Provincial Government.

Due to the RHI success story in China and the strong belief that China is the future, RHI Group set up its next JV-company in 2005, this time in Zibo City, Shandong Province. My headquarter nominated me to be the vice-chairman of this new JV-company, in order to bring in all my experience and expertise. For me this is another milestone to my deep connection to China.

Looking back to the last ten years, I have spent in China working. I have to admit, despite the fact that I am born in Germany, my stay in China enriches my life experience, makes me wise and more mature.

To stand here today in front of you all, and to be honored with the Friendship Award of the province of Liaoning, makes a dream to become true for me. Thank you to all who supported us and helped me to follow my dream. China is now already part of my personally and my deep affection and connection. Will never break!

*Speech made by Mrs Knaul, general manager of RHI Yingkou during 2005 "Friendship Award" awarding ceremony.

* Interested in writing an article for us? Send an email to mailto:english@nen.com.cn and pitch an idea.

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