This Day, That Year

Editor's note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up policy.

An item from Nov 21, 1984, in China Daily showed Werner Gerich answering questions from engineers at a plant in Wuhan, Hubei province.

The retired engineer from Germany, who became the first foreigner to run a State-owned enterprise in China, the Wuhan Diesel Engine Plant, helped the plant increase production. He was granted all the powers of a Chinese director, including the right to hire and transfer employees.