On February 21, 2014, the 2014 annual work conference of CSE was held in a simply-decorated conference room of Evergreen Resort. The duration of the conference was condensed to one day from the original two-day agenda in response to the spirit of one of President Xi's speeches, which also helped streamline the meeting process. General manager Li Wenkun, deputy general manager Ding Wei, chief engineer Jiang Jun, chief assistant Zhang Kai, department managers, deputy managers, representatives of supervisors employees attended the conference. Mr. Ding facilitated and kicked off the conference as per the planned agenda. Mr. Li made a speech titled "CSE's Annual Work Summary of 2013 and Approach and Priorities for 2014". A production and operation review of 2013 was included in his speech, which indicates an improvement in the management level of the Company. Last year, the after-tax profit of the Company was RMB 149.27 million, achieving a 42.5% increase compared with 2012. This accomplishment could not be achieved without the trust and support from the owners, the relentless efforts of all our employees. Plus, the effective implementation of our strategic goal also contributed to this success. Despite the decline in revenue, we still achieved a significant increase in profit through a year of quality and effective project operations and management, as well as strict and effective implementation of internal management policies and cost control measures. The profit increase demonstrated a rise in the Company's management level, also can be regarded as a reward for our lean management practice. The summary and results achieved during our specialized efforts to improve management level were highlighted in the report. Also, the importance of team and organization building, as well as the necessity of execution, cohesion, strength, and competitiveness, was emphasized. In his candid speech, Mr. Li also talked about the shortcomings of the Company, such as our lack of ability as an EPC contractor, undiversified product portfolio, vague understanding of the market prospect in 2014, and the insufficient sense of company identity among our frontline employees due to their long working hours, which led to their life being affected. Also, 11 department managers shared the 2013 annual work summary and 2014 work methods of their respective departments. The achievements and shortcomings, along with the pertinent numbers and facts of each department, were objectively presented by the department managers with a straightforward attitude. After this, the competent company leaders overseeing each individual department shared their comments and analysis. They spoke highly of the accomplished achievements, pointed the way forward and expressed their expectation of each department. During the conference, Mr. Li signed the performance contract with each of the department managers. Also, thoughts were shared and suggestions were made by our employee representatives. This conference was held in an efficient manner.
Another feature of this conference was the down-to-earth attitude and practical mindset. When summarizing our achievements, Mr. Li went into details of the hurdles we cleared on the path to success. He pinpointed our exact position in the current market, urging us to stop being blindly optimistic in the face of uncertainties and fierce competition and to stay prepared against adversities as always. As Mr. Li said in the speech, we must stand on our own ground and constantly improve our competitiveness to weather any imminent crisis. The outside world is changing rapidly, which brings us both challenges and opportunities. We shall place ourselves under pressure and also better prepare ourselves with risk and crisis awareness. Mr. Li shared four of his expectations in the conference: ① All departments and teams shall faithfully gain a better understanding of and carry out daily work in the spirit of the meeting. Supervisors at all levels should value the feedback from employees. ② Our employees shall be pragmatic, practical, and determined in working. ③ All our employees should work unitedly for the common goal, and cooperate with each other while delivering satisfactory performance on their own roles. Be responsible and avoid shirking responsibilities. ④ Act under the "four abilities" guideline, i.e. "execution, cohesion, strength, and competitiveness". We have to focus on improving our competitiveness, as what we can rely on is nobody but ourselves. The building of "four abilities" shall not only be seen on the paperwork but also be implemented in our daily activities. Competency improving matters to our career development and the development of the Company. Our success hinges on the competencies we have built for ourselves.