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March 12, 2010

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Taiwan compatriot serves motherland

LIN Zhenyi, a member of Shanghai Municipal Committee of CPPCC and former member of TDL Central Committee

Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (TDL)

The League was founded in Hong Kong on November 12, 1947. It is a political federation of socialist workers, socialists and people who support socialism from Taiwan. It is closely allied with the CPC, accepting CPC leadership and cooperating closely with it to build socialism with Chinese characteristics. Its main founders include Xie Xuehong, Yang Kehuang and Su Xin.

The Shanghai branch had 305 members by the end of 2009. The chairman is Yang Jian from Taiwan.

My parents both went from Taiwan to Japan for studies and after my father received his medical degree the family returned to the Chinese mainland. My father always wanted to serve the country and people.

He told us we should fight for our country, no matter what. I always knew I had an obligation to give something back to my country. Over the years I felt this very strongly.

I am from Taiwan but I knew little about TDL before China's reform and opening up began in 1978 and democratic parties began to function again.

I joined TDL in 1983 and worked on the TDL Shanghai Municipal Committee.

My field is chemical engineering, and I always believed that if I did my own job well, I would contribute to TDL and the country. I once stayed and slept in a laboratory for two years on a project and I stayed outdoors in cold weather to collect data. To turn experimental results into products, I worked in a factory on design, assembly and production. When arthritis in my knee was painful, I used a walking stick to go to work. I published academic papers and taught.

In 1998, my views on my TDL responsibility expanded when I was selected to membership of the Shanghai CPPCC and I took part in state affairs to improve lives.

I used to have doubts whether the CPC would pay any attention to proposals from democratic parties. I found that they did.

In my first year, I made a proposal on treatment of laid-off workers and to my surprise I was told it was being studied.

In 1999, I proposed action to deal with the polluted, smelly waterway at the southern end of Longbo No.3 Residential Area. The Shanghai Water Authority listened and it was turned into a culvert and planted with grass, eliminating the smell.

From 2000-2002 I worked on noise abatement inside the Outer-Ring Road in Minhang District. I made numerous visits, even on weekends and holidays, going with my husband. We held town meetings to hear people's complaints, researched real estate and city planning records and spoke to leaders of many departments. Eventually construction of a highway link was scrapped and trees were planted, resulting in less noise and more beauty.

Later I worked as a special prosecutor for the government. I proposed establishing good technical schools, better use of energy and recycling,

Over 11 years I made more than 50 proposals, most of them enacted. They included measures to deal with an aging population, promoting mental health work and improving the environment.

I realize that democratic parties are welcome, we are listened to, recognized and praised. I was honored because of my work in technology and awarded titles such as Model Worker of the Sinopec Group, Shanghai Woman Pacesetter and Outstanding Compatriot from Taiwan Working for Reunification.



 

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