In the Tete mining area in northern Mozambique, the hot and humid climate is interwoven with red dust, and modern heavy machinery coexists with outdated facilities from decades ago. This is one of the regions listed by the United Nations as the least developed, yet it is also a hotbed for the mining industry.
Recently, Zhu Fei, an engineer from the International Business Department of Liuzhou Liugong Excavator Co., Ltd., completed a ten-day technical support mission for the 995F excavator here. Zhu Fei's daily routine is not only a microcosm of on-site technical challenges but also a vivid portrayal of how Chinese manufacturing is expanding overseas and sharing its technological and management concepts.
Technical Escort in Extreme Conditions
Zhu Fei's daily routine starts at 5:20 a.m., crossing bumpy dirt roads, and working in the mine where temperatures easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius until dusk. The 995F excavator he is responsible for maintaining is a core piece of equipment for earthwork in the mine. In the extreme high-temperature and high-dust environment, the stable operation of the equipment directly affects the mine's production efficiency.
During the ten days, Zhu Fei solved operational issues, fixed faults in the automatic lubrication system, and participated in the on-site assembly throughout. However, for him, technical debugging is only part of the job. "True technical support is not just about fixing machines; it's about sharing methods and attitudes," Zhu Fei said.
Fei even more determined: true technical support is never just about repairing machines.
In the Tete coal mine, Zhu Fei's colleagues include local black technicians. Some are eager to learn about equipment maintenance and cooperate earnestly with every inspection; others have a lax attitude and wait passively for minor faults to be fixed. This situation has made Zhu Fei even more determined: True technical support is never limited to repairing machines.
During his stay at the mine, he organized specialized training sessions, providing systematic explanations on the core features, program writing, system principles, and maintenance techniques of the Liugong 995F excavator for the local service team. Watching the trainees' eyes change from unfamiliarity to familiarity, Zhu Fei admitted that this was the greatest comfort in his tiring days. "I hope they can truly master the maintenance skills, not only for themselves but also to accumulate more solid development capital for this land," he said.
A Mobile Team, Unchanging Spirit of Collaboration
In this red soil mine far from home, collaboration has become a survival rule. Zhu Fei maintained close communication with colleagues from the South African subsidiary, borrowed support from comrades, local operators, and mine managers, promoting the clarification of problems through discussions and the formation of solutions through collisions. Just as he wrote in his notes: Liugong's "customer first, cooperation creates value" culture is particularly concrete and genuine in this red soil far from home.
The team itself is like a "mobile garrison" - Project Manager Lin Junquan is about to go to Ghana, Li Enwei is being transferred back to Angola, Lu Xishen, who was borrowed for support, will return to Liuzhou in February, Liu Wentao will stay for a long time, and Zhu Fei himself will return to the Liuzhou headquarters on February 13th. This dynamic personnel configuration precisely reflects the flexibility and continuity of international project execution.
A Time Puzzle: 1960s Dirt Roads and Modern Equipment Coexist
Mines often present a strange time picture: 1960s rammed earth roads, 1970s old trucks, 1980s tin houses, and brand-new Liugong equipment interwoven together. "Elements from different times and spaces collide and overlap here, vividly telling the story of the coexistence of development imbalance and hope," Zhu Fei wrote in his notes.
The Romance of Chinese Manufacturing: Driving Progress with Technology
As the ten-day support mission was coming to an end, the feeling Zhu Fei felt most deeply was a strange sense of fulfillment. "This is a kind of romance belonging to Chinese manufacturing - using technology to break through barriers, using persistence to face challenges, and in the process of solving a specific problem, touching the pulse of development," his work notes concluded. ""I also saw that the giant named 'Progress' is being pushed forward bit by bit by countless hands."
