“Approaching the New Generation of Shanxi Merchants” Launched in Beijing | Zheng Peng, a rising star among Shanxi merchants, envisions the future global hydrogen energy landscape through the spirit of the Shanxi merchant tradition.

Release Date:

2024-11-20

On November 15, the launch of the first season of Xinhuanet’s original immersive documentary‑interactive series, “Approaching the New Merchants,” along with the “Approaching the New Merchants: Exploring the Power of ‘Newness’” Shanxi expedition, was held in Beijing. Zheng Peng, Chairman of the Board and President of Pengfei Group, made a distinguished appearance as an outstanding representative of the new generation of merchants, witnessed the premiere of the new episode of “Approaching the New Merchants,” and shared how, over more than three decades, Pengfei Group has remained true to the spirit of the Shanxi merchants—building its enterprise on integrity and pursuing long-term growth through innovation.

Zheng Peng stated that, as a new generation of Shanxi merchants who have inherited the spirit of the Jin商 and thrived on the momentum of reform and opening-up, Pengfei Group has, for more than three decades, remained committed to the principle of “preserving tradition without clinging to the past, innovating without losing sight of our roots.” While carrying forward the cultural heritage passed down by their Jin merchant forebears, the group has infused it with fresh vitality, distilling the 20-character Jin merchant ethos—“honesty and trustworthiness, pioneering and enterprising, unity and mutual support, pragmatic management, and serving the people and benefiting society”—into the concrete, actionable Pengfei Spirit: “compassion, innovation, pragmatism, and leadership.” By making national strategy its paramount priority and aligning itself with the pulse of the times, Pengfei has relentlessly pursued “innovation” and “green development,” courageously scaling new heights and continuously crafting a bright vision—one that is grounded in solid foundations, poised for the future, and rich in quality of life.
Has a foundation

As the foundational industry underpinning Pengfei’s vision of becoming a “globally leading smart clean-energy enterprise,” coal coking has already achieved digital intelligence and industrial greening. The Changxin Coal Mine in the Changzhi region has been recognized as a benchmark demonstration mine for intelligent operations and has earned the highest 3A certification for the integration of informatization and industrialization. Meanwhile, the Pengfei Coking Plant and the Methanol-to-Hydrogen Heat‑Source Plant in the Xiaoyi region have been designated “Green Factories” by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, making Pengfei one of the few enterprises nationwide to operate two such facilities.

There is a future.

As a future‑oriented industry under Pengfei’s vision of becoming a “globally leading smart clean‑energy enterprise,” the hydrogen energy sector has already pioneered full‑cycle, all‑scenario applications in China. Hydrogen‑powered heavy‑duty trucks, hydrogen buses, hydrogen coaches, hydrogen midibus vehicles, hydrogen‑electric loaders, and hydrogen‑electric shared bicycles have been put into service one after another, earning widespread attention and acclaim from across the country and around the world.

There is life.

As a pillar of Pengfei’s vision to become a globally leading, smart clean-energy enterprise, the modern cultural‑tourism‑hotel‑real‑estate business has undergone a remarkable transformation—from “a spark igniting a prairie fire” to “a dazzling galaxy.” By developing and operating national 4A‑level tourist attractions, building and managing state‑of‑the‑art luxury hotels, and constructing and running zero‑carbon smart communities, it is crafting an all‑age, happiness‑focused lifestyle that offers meaningful careers, comfortable homes, enriching travel experiences, and fulfilling opportunities in later life for all who are committed to Pengfei’s mission.

“Step outside, and the world unfolds before your eyes; stay put, and the world becomes your horizon.” Zheng Peng stated that, standing alongside the “three maps” of the world, China, and Shanxi, Pengfei will remain steadfast in upholding the spirit of the Jin merchants. Centered on the Jin merchant’s territorial legacy, the company is committed to building a zero‑carbon hydrogen energy corridor spanning Shanxi, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Xinjiang—ultimately realizing four visionary hydrogen‑energy blueprints anchored in Xiaoyi, Lüliang: a vast hydrogen‑energy network, ten thousand hydrogen‑refueling hubs, one million hydrogen‑powered vehicles, and a multi‑million‑ton hydrogen‑energy supply base—thus bringing to life Pengfei’s grand dream of a new era of hydrogen‑based productivity.
“Approaching the New Shanxi Merchants” is jointly launched by Xinhua News Agency’s Shanxi Branch and Xinhuanet’s Shanxi Channel, in collaboration with the Publicity Department of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Cyberspace Administration, the Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce, the Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau, and the Provincial Bureau for the Development of the Private Sector. The initiative aims to carry forward the spirit of the Shanxi merchants, highlight exemplary cases of innovation among outstanding Shanxi entrepreneurs, present the contemporary reflections of the new generation of Shanxi merchants, disseminate their innovative vision and sense of social responsibility, and showcase how Shanxi merchants are rising to the challenges of our times.