Xu Shilong, member of the Democratic Progressive Association: For the internationalization of Chinese standards

Xu Shilong (second from left) discusses the technical implementation plan with team members. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

　　Xu Shilong: Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice President of the Central Association of Entrepreneurs of the Association for Promoting Democracy, Chairman of Shanghai Harbor Group. He was the first member of the China Association of Inventions, and was awarded the titles of 2020 Shanghai Model Worker (Advanced Worker) and the "Top Ten Models" of the first Shanghai United Front Post Meritorious Service.

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　　How to strengthen the soft soil foundation with high water content in rivers, lakes and seas into a hard foundation, and then pave roads and bridges on it, and build buildings? Around the world, this is a technical problem.

　　In 1999, Xu Shilong, then the general manager of Jiangyin Port Development Company in Jiangsu Province, was engaged in soft foundation reinforcement treatment for a long time. One day, he was squatting on the shore of a tidal flat, and he and his colleagues were busy monitoring the vacuum pumping of the soft beach, but due to the high water content, the water is not easy to discharge, and the vacuum pumping has not seen any effect.

　　When everyone was at a loss, a heavy truck drove by, and Xu Shilong found that the level of the vacuum pump fluctuated. It was the discovery of this differential pressure theory that allowed Xu Shilong to later invent the rapid "high vacuum densification method" that subverted the soft foundation treatment and broke through the limitations of traditional norms. Compared with traditional methods, this technology not only saves 30% of the cost and 50% of the construction period, but also has controllable quality and is environmentally friendly.

　　In the following 20 years, Xu Shilong led the Shanghai Harbor Group he founded, applied the new technology of "high vacuum encryption method" from Shanghai to the whole country, and then started from China to the "Belt and Road" co-construction countries, covering more than 20 countries around the world, involving airports, ports, highways, railways, power plants, municipal and other fields of infrastructure construction, to the world-class problem of soft soil hardening handed in a "Chinese answer".

　　Relying on patents to start, rely on patent development, and rely on patents to go abroad, Xu Shilong sees the broad prospects of enterprise technology going overseas, and has been actively supporting private enterprises to participate in the high-quality development of the "Belt and Road". During the two sessions of the National People's Congress this year, Xu Shilong submitted the proposal on supporting private enterprises to go overseas and actively participate in the construction of the "Belt and Road", once again for private enterprises to "go global" and promote economic development......

　　Technological innovation is difficult and sweet

　　Xu Shilong is a native of Jiangyin, although his family conditions were not good when he was a child, he has always studied hard. "This child's physical chemistry has always been very good", is the consistent evaluation of teachers and parents.

　　In 1977, before the resumption of the college entrance examination, Xu Shilong came to Jiangyin Port Company after graduating from high school and became a port stevedore.

　　Knowing that the college entrance examination was resumed, Xu Shilong signed up as soon as possible. "There are few people around me who choose to continue the college entrance examination, because once they have a job, many people will lack the idea of taking the college entrance examination. And the daily life of a dock worker is always sweaty, and they have to work and study at the same time, which is very hard. But the heavy cargo did not bend the young man's will, Xu Shilong understood that he wanted to continue to study and study very strongly, "Reading can change fate." ”

　　In the first year of the resumption of the college entrance examination, Xu Shilong was admitted to Jiangsu TV University and obtained a college degree. After graduating from the University of Electrical Engineering, Xu Shilong devoted himself to work with enthusiasm. It wasn't until he discovered the differential pressure theory that excited him that Xu Shilong, who has been engaged in soft soil foundation for more than 10 years, realized that "compared with the traditional method of mixing cement in soft soil, differential pressure theory will bring about a technological innovation in soft soil foundation!" ”

　　In 1999, when the construction of the Waigao Bridge in Shanghai hit a bottleneck in the reinforcement of the soft foundation, Xu Shilong felt that this was an opportunity. Without too much hesitation, he resigned from the position of general manager, and with a passion for scientific research, he "went to the sea" without hesitation.

　　On the shore of the reed beach in the Gaoqiao port area outside the port of Shanghai, he used the shed as a research laboratory and the construction site as a testing ground, and devoted himself to invention.

　　In 2000, Xu Shilong founded Shanghai Harbor Company. At this time, the high vacuum compacting method proposed based on the differential pressure theory, as a new method of soft foundation reinforcement, has no supporting equipment and machinery at all. Xu Shilong and his team could only develop it by themselves, rummaged through relevant materials at home and abroad, and successively visited professors and experts from Tongji University, Zhejiang University and other universities. In the end, we imported spare parts from abroad, returned to China to ask experts to assemble, and spent nearly 1 million yuan to build the first 24-ton dual-wheel drive vibration unit.

　　"Due to our lack of experience, after the bulky vibrating machine arrived at the site, it sank into the silt as soon as we entered the Waigaoqiao soft foundation test area, and finally the staff of the Shanghai Port Company helped us get ashore." Xu Shilong was deeply impressed by the scene at that time.

　　Starting a business is far more difficult than imagined, and the problem in front of Xu Shilong is scientific research funding. "In the first year, I emptied my family fund, borrowed 5 million yuan to engage in scientific research, and lost all of it in the second year. In the past few years, at the most difficult time, tens of millions of yuan of debts were owed, partners chose to quit due to too much pressure, and engineers also changed jobs one after another. ”

　　But Xu Shilong still firmly believes that as long as the direction is right, he will definitely keep Yunkai. With the courage to fight against the water, more than 600 days and nights, repeated defeats, repeated defeats, and finally in 2001, the rapid "high vacuum secret method" soft foundation treatment method came out.

　　What is the "High Vacuum Knocking Method"?

　　"Figuratively speaking, the treatment of soft foundations by high vacuum densification method is a process of compressing 'tender tofu' into 'old tofu' and then 'dried tofu'." Xu Shilong made an analogy: "This is a physical change process, using a vacuum to create a pressure difference, squeezing out the water that is not easy to flow between the soft soil molecules, without adding curing agents or admixtures to the soil, which is not only low in cost, but also achieves zero pollution to the site and the surrounding environment." ”

　　Xu Shilong submitted a patent application to the State Patent Office as soon as possible.

　　"Only more than 50 days later, the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission appraised this technology and evaluated it as 'international advanced level, with huge social and economic benefits'." Xu Shilong recalled.

　　"The core competitiveness of the enterprise is long-term and unique, supporting the company's competitive advantages in the past, present and future." Xu Shilong understands that only with key technologies can we stand out from the market competition and taste the sweetness. And this success is just the beginning......

　　The market is where technology belongs

　　After obtaining the national invention patent, how this invention went to the market and was finally recognized became another long journey for Xu Shilong.

　　In 2003, the No. 2 runway reconstruction and expansion project of Pudong Airport was tendered, which was a "plan to ask for an airport from the sea", which was also a rare opportunity for Xu Shilong. "Although there are 7 plans competing on the same stage, if they can win, it can prove the strength of the 'high vacuum secret method'."

　　In the face of the doubts around him, because he already had the experience of the soft foundation reinforcement treatment project in Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Area, Xu Shilong had the confidence to participate in the next comparative test.

　　The test results show that Xu Shilong's "high vacuum densification method" has reached the first place in 5 of the 6 main technical indicators, and won with excellent results.

　　However, such an important project has not yet been convinced by Xu Shilong, a little-known team. After the success of the first experiment, some experts asked, "Is the result a chance?" ”

　　Immediately afterwards, the second test began, and through the convening of an expert meeting for monitoring and evaluation, it was concluded that the plan of Xu Shilong's team was very excellent in terms of cost, construction period and key technical indicators, and this private individual patented technology stood out.

　　Xu Shilong has been waiting for this result for a long time. "We have won everyone's recognition by data, although the method is different, but the 'high vacuum densification method' not only solves the problem of differential settlement of the soft soil foundation along the coastal beach, but also saves 1.74 million cubic meters of stone and saves nearly 100 million yuan in construction funds."

　　In the following years, the high vacuum densification series technology was widely used in the Taihu Lake, the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, Bohai Bay, Beibu Gulf, Hangzhou Bay, Bohai Rim, Jiaozhou Bay and other places. In 2012, the "High Vacuum Knocking Method" won three international awards: the Gold Award for Best Invention, the Bogsch Invention Award for Supporting Invention, and the Gold Medal for Honor for Green Invention. Looking back at the beginning, Xu Shilong said frankly, "At that time, I didn't have a particularly big goal, but I just felt that this technology was very good, and I wondered if it could be promoted after research and development." ”

　　In 2013, coinciding with the "Belt and Road" initiative, it built a broad stage for the majority of private enterprises to "go global", and also allowed Xu Shilong to see more possibilities.

　　In the past, the "going out" of the mainland construction industry was generally dominated by the export of labor services, and there was little technology output. Xu Shilong hopes: "This situation can be changed, and we will continue to improve our independent research and development capabilities, so that every 'small' invention can fall on the project and promote China's original technology to the world." ”

　　In 2022, nearly 800,000 invention patents were authorized in mainland China, of which private enterprises accounted for eighty percent. "If these resources can be integrated, a huge technological advantage will be formed in the process of private enterprises 'going global'." Therefore, for two consecutive years, Xu Shilong has continued to make suggestions on the participation of private enterprises in the construction of the "Belt and Road" during the two sessions of the National People's Congress and the National People's Congress (NPC): "Support private enterprises to go to sea, focus on supporting private enterprises with key core technologies to form a leader, play a leading role, and encourage upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain to go to sea together." ”

　　Innovation is the deepest national endowment of the Chinese nation. Xu Shilong said: "Strengthening scientific and technological innovation and building a national brand is my most cherished dream. ”

　　Strive for "original China".

　　In 2018, Xu Shilong became a member of the 13th Shanghai CPPCC - the ups and downs in scientific research and innovation and the transformation of achievements have turned into an inexhaustible driving force for his in-depth research and active suggestions.

　　In 2021, Xu Shilong, together with several committee members, launched a "committee proposal salon" with the theme of "giving full play to Shanghai's role as a bridgehead and promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative". "After several hours of discussion, dozens of suggestions, and in the collision of ideas, a joint proposal on building a one-stop service platform for the high-quality development of Shanghai's joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' was finally born, which was not only awarded the 2022 excellent proposal of the Shanghai CPPCC, but also brought to the National People's Congress and the National People's Congress and the National People's Congress after submission."

　　At this time, he has led Shanghai Harbor to go through many experiences on the road of enterprises going to sea. In 2008, Indonesia's Longwan Power Plant became Xu Shilong's "stepping stone" to open the door to the world.

　　"Building a power plant for Indonesia in a swamp was called an 'impossible task' by many at the time." Xu Shilong recalled that the power plant was located in a seaside tidal swamp, with soft soil more than 20 meters thick, inaccessible to large equipment, and a strong earthquake area with a seismic intensity of 8 degrees.

　　Foreign experts have asserted that it is impossible to build a power plant on the existing site. "After careful calculation and repeated demonstration, our engineers came up with a new plan, breaking through the construction problems and saving a lot of costs, which has become a typical project of Sino-Indian cooperation."

　　In 2023, Xu Shilong will become a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, "Standing on a larger platform for performing duties, the responsibility on his body is also heavier." ”

　　"The overseas market is huge, what exactly is needed in this market?" This is the question that Xu Shilong thinks about the most in "going out", "How to effectively transform technological achievements into products or services required by the market is the key to 'going out' and truly integrating into the local society." ”

　　In Xu Shilong's suggestions, most of the common "high-frequency words" are "technical grouping", "cooperation", "optimal combination", etc.

　　Xu Shilong said, "In 2023, the overseas market will account for nearly 80% of the business of Shanghai Harbor Group, especially in the field of 'Belt and Road', there have been many expansion projects, and in the first quarter of 2024, Shanghai Harbor Group's new overseas orders have reached 580 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of more than 100%. ”

　　Behind such achievements, Xu Shilong knows that it is not easy for enterprises to go to sea. "The convergence of China's original technology with foreign standards is a major issue."

　　In Vietnam, Xu Shilong received an order at the same time, and immediately received a lawyer's letter, and was sued by a well-known French company for "patent infringement". "But in fact, as early as two years ago, we had already registered this patent in Vietnam, and this lawsuit turned into a patent confrontation." Xu Shilong realized that once he lost, he would lose the entire market, although the subject matter of the lawsuit was very high, he was determined to fight to the end, spent a lot of money to hire a lawyer, made a counterclaim, and finally won the lawsuit.

　　"Let China's original technology go to the world, and let Chinese standards be recognized by the world." On the road to realizing the dream of national innovation, Xu Shilong has walked firmly......

　　Although the process of going to sea at the beginning was very difficult, under the "Belt and Road" initiative, the original technology of Shanghai Port has continued to "go out of the circle" - from the soft soil hardening and land reclamation of major ports, airports, power stations and other geotechnical engineering projects such as Singapore Changi Airport, Indonesia's Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway, and the United Arab Emirates' Palm Island, to technical services involving more than 20 countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, breaking the situation dominated by European and American enterprises and European and American standards, and the global "circle of friends" is getting bigger and bigger.

　　But what Xu Shilong is most proud of is the internationalization of "Chinese standards". "In 2016, Shanghai Harbor, together with the Indonesian Ministry of Public Transport and the Indonesian Geotechnical Engineering Association, formulated a national standard for foundation treatment, and in 2017, the Indonesian government promulgated an application specification for 'vacuum preloading' technology, which is the successful output of 'Chinese standard', which provides important help for the construction of major projects such as railways, highways, airports and ports overseas."

　　(Source: People's Political Consultative Conference Daily, Author: Wang Huiwen)