China yesterday launched a big propaganda campaign to promote the traditional socialist values of hard work and selfless devotion to the people, values the authorities fear have been neglected in the drive towards a market economy.
All the main newspapers and the central television heavily featured China's latest model worker, Xu Hu , a plumber from Shanghai who reportedly devotes his every waking hour to the service of others.
A commentary in the People's Daily described Mr Xu, 46, as a 'glittering nugget of gold' who sets an example for 'all ordinary workers in the new era'.
The newspapers described how Mr Xu, who works for a housing department in a run-down area of Shanghai during the day, would continue working throughout each evening responding to emergency plumbing requests.
Mr Xu, a low-level Communist Party member, would never take a day off even when he was seriously ill, the newspaper said.
The People's Daily said that in China's new market economy it was not enough just to have a talented group of managers, experts and technicians, China needed thousands of ordinary workers like Mr Xu who loved their job and were willing to work hard for others.
