On the afternoon of March 10, during the National Two Sessions, the atmosphere was warm at the Beijing Dacheng Road No. 9 Hotel, where committee members were staying. Yao Lijun, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and founder and chief technology officer of Ningbo Jiangfeng Electronic Materials Co., Ltd., had just concluded a discussion with the non-partisan group 15. In an interview space for the fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC, Yao, a leading figure in semiconductor materials who hails from Harbin, spoke with determination and conviction about his hometown, Heilongjiang: "Investment must cross Shanhaiguan; for business ventures, Heilongjiang is the preferred choice—it is an excellent place to achieve success!"
This was not merely a promotional statement but a sincere declaration by a native son deeply committed to contributing to his homeland through industrial development. Born in Harbin in 1967, Yao Lijun has always maintained a profound connection to the black soil of Heilongjiang. From earning a doctorate in engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology to pursuing advanced studies at Hiroshima University in Japan and later serving as an executive in multinational corporations, he has consistently held onto his original aspiration: "to enable China's chips to use Chinese materials." In 2005, he resolutely returned to China to establish Jiangfeng Electronics, overcoming core technologies for ultra-high-purity metal sputtering targets used in ultra-large-scale integrated circuit manufacturing. This breakthrough ended the long-standing monopoly by the United States and Japan, positioning China's semiconductor materials among the global leaders and establishing Jiangfeng Electronics as a national "single champion" in manufacturing.
"The surging Songhua River waters, the vibrant campus of Harbin Institute of Technology... these scenes often appear in my dreams," Yao shared. His decision to invest in his hometown was driven not only by an inseparable bond with his roots but also by a precise assessment of Heilongjiang's development opportunities. In 2022, he returned with a globally leading industrial project for ultra-high-purity metal materials used in chip manufacturing, investing 1 billion yuan to build the Harbin Tongchuang Purun Longjiang Students Entrepreneurship Park (Phase I). Through concrete actions, he has endorsed the investment value of Heilongjiang.
In his view, Heilongjiang is no longer the outdated image some may hold; instead, it has become a "natural fertile ground" for the development of new materials industries. Top-tier talent from institutions like Harbin Institute of Technology and Harbin Engineering University has fostered an innovative ecosystem deeply integrated with "industry-academia-research-application," precisely aligning with the development needs of strategic emerging industries such as semiconductors. This provides a high-quality platform for enterprises across the chip industry chain to establish a presence.
What moved Yao even more was the remarkable transformation in Heilongjiang's business environment. "From project initiation to construction and operation, the 'nanny-style' services coordinated across provincial, municipal, and district levels have significantly shortened construction timelines, enabling us to seize market opportunities," he noted. Today, ultra-high-purity aluminum, copper, and other metal materials produced by Tongchuang Purun not only safeguard national industrial security but have also entered the global supply chain for advanced process chip manufacturing, becoming Heilongjiang-made products that compete internationally.
Yao candidly stated that the transparent, healthy government-business relationship and pragmatic, efficient work style in Heilongjiang have completely dispelled the bias that "investment does not cross Shanhaiguan," reinforcing his confidence to continue increasing investments. In 2023, he invested further to develop the second phase of the Longjiang Students Entrepreneurship Park, planning to introduce cutting-edge projects such as all-solid-state electrochromic thin films, with the aim of creating a demonstration zone for high-end electronic materials industries.
"Many entrepreneurs are already paying attention to Heilongjiang's development. In the future, the province's strategic emerging industries are bound to 'break out' like its ice and snow tourism, becoming a hotspot for investment and business ventures nationwide," Yao predicted. As a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC, Yao's duties are consistently aligned with national development. Not only does he deepen technological expertise and strengthen his enterprise, but he also acts as a bridge for "investment promotion through business networks," attracting upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain to gather in Heilongjiang. He aims to build a "four-in-one" platform integrating technology research and development, industrial guidance, talent cultivation, and innovation incubation, contributing to the cultivation of new quality productive forces in Heilongjiang and empowering the comprehensive revitalization of the old industrial base.
"Heilongjiang is entering a golden period of development, with solid foundations, talent, a favorable environment, and abundant opportunities," Yao emphasized as the interview concluded. This technology entrepreneur from the "Ice City" is using his own practices as a brush and the black soil as his canvas, writing a new chapter of returning natives revitalizing their homeland through industry, while inviting more entrepreneurs to join the new journey of Northeast China's revitalization.
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