“Your parcel has arrived!” This was the message thathas been most eagerly expected in the past few days at the Alumni Building ofZhejiang University’s Zijingang Campus. Among the purchased and donated suppliesthat have been received, there were 610 disposable medical masks, 200 duckbill-shapedprofessional medical masks and 60 N95 masks. These masks were all donated toZhejiang University by Ms. Lu Xiangming, a French-Chinese businesswoman fromHong Kong and Chairman of Hong Kong Andac Engineering Co., Ltd.
Across theEurasian continent, medical supplies have come from afar
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Luhas been keeping an eye on the spread of the pandemic and the safety offrontline medical staff. She had been contacting her friends in Germany, Spain,Italy and other European countries to purchase face masks during the earlystages of the pandemic.
After hearing the news of the establishment of the“Zhejiang University Education Foundation Special Fund for the Fight againstCOVID-19”, she mobilized her relatives and friends to donate 6,500 yuan toexpress her support on the day the fund was established. At the same time, shedonated 60,000 Hong Kong dollars to the foundation in the name of AndacCorporation. She said, “This donation is the contribution of every employee atAndac Corporation. I rest assured about donating it to the Zhejiang University EducationFoundation!”
Her friend circle has been recording her progress ofobtaining medical supplies: at 6:01 am on January 30, “I was busy all daybuying face masks”; at 10:15 pm on February 5, “I took a 15-minute train rideto snap up these face masks”; at 5:35 am on February 6, “Introduced by Ms.Dawn, two of my friends from Pharmacie Kennedy Pages in Nimes, southern France deliveredme 40 N95 masks and asked me to donate to the medical staff fighting at the frontlinesin China. Salute to them!”
With face masks being sold out in many countries,she donated all the masks she had worked hard to gather to the ZhejiangUniversity Education Foundation (ZUEF), and told the ZUEF that these masks mustbe delivered to the frontline medical staff. This batch of face masks which hasbeen filled with love has now gone through the customs of many countries andregions and has successfully completed the ten-thousand-mile journey fromFrance to Hong Kong to Hangzhou.
“ZhejiangUniversity has a special place in my heart.”
Ms. Lu Xiangming’s affinity with Zhejiang Universitybegan in 2002. Since 2002, she has been providing assistance to 20 impoverishedstudents from Zhejiang University City College every year, which increased to40 students 14 years later. In 2015, she donated RMB 1 million yuan to ZhejiangUniversity to set up the “Lu Xiangming Development Strategy Research Fund” tosupport the development strategy research, scientific and educational strategicmanagement innovation talent training, and strategic research internationalexchanges and cooperation of Zhejiang University. She herself was also appointedas the “Honorary Consultant of the Zhejiang University Institute of DevelopmentStrategy Research”; In 2017, another 1 million yuan was donated to set up the“Zhejiang University Shenhe Grant” to help poor students with excellentacademic performance improve their learning and living conditions and completetheir studies successfully; In 2018, she also donated 5 cultural relics to the ZhejiangUniversity Museum of Art and Archeology.
At the donation ceremony in 2015, she saidemotionally, “I chose to donate to Zhejiang University firstly because of my attachmentto my hometown: Huzhou of Zhejiang Province. My parents lived in Hangzhou,provincial capital, before I was born, so I always feel a sense of intimacywhenever I visit Hangzhou; The second is that Zhejiang University has a specialplace in my heart. I like studying, and I have had a “college dream” ever sinceI was a child. I did not give up studying even when I went to live and work ina rural production team, so after the college entrance examination resumed, I wasfinally able fulfil my “college dream”. Despite so, I still have admirations forZhejiang University.”
Caring for everyaided student
Of the 870 face masks sent by Lu Xiangming, sheparticularly specified the channel for 110 of them. She proposed to distributethese masks to the 11 students of Zhejiang University who are funded by the“Shenhe Grant”, with each receiving 10 masks. Since the university term has notbegun yet, the face masks have been directly sent to the homes of students whoare in need. One student sent a letter to express his gratitude: Ms. Lu hadonce spared some of her precious time to come from Shanghai to Hangzhou to havea detailed discussion with me and shared with me her company’s situation andher social experience. We had a very relaxed and pleasant conversation and Icould feel that she has some profound thoughts. I would like to thank her forgiving us love and caring for us all the time.”
Lu Xiangming has been concerned about the studentsof Zhejiang University. In September 2019, she took time out of her busy scheduleto visit the University to meet and chat with the students funded by the“Shenhe Grant”. The students shared their troubles and confusion in theprevious year and also talked about how they finally achieved self-breakthroughthrough hard work. She listened happily and applauded the students’ progressand efforts.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, with the belief that“the nation is capable of overcoming any difficulty” and the long-term trust inZhejiang University, Lu Xiangming has chosen to fight with us behind the scenesand launched global support in the face of the ever-increasing shortage ofprotective materials. We believe that this love of continuing to support thefrontlines will be greatly rewarded. The dawn of victory is in sight!