“晴湖似镜平，泼眼绿波明。鱼队行堪数，凫雏近不惊。”清人王掞描写的泛舟常州尚湖的一幕令人神往。然而，相比于宁静的尚湖，商海就多了几许波澜。波澜壮阔的商海，谁人勇立船头，踏浪弄潮，又可以气定神闲商海观澜？
连元章，元丰国际有限公司董事长，就是这样的弄潮儿。商海泛舟30余载，从勇闯海外白手起家，到如今公司的多元化国际化经营，一路走来，他栉风沐雨，也览尽风景。
“Lake under the sun shines like a mirror, with glistening waves of green. Fishes swim in rows, baby mallards not awakened by footsteps.” This is a poem written by Wang Shan of the Qing Dynasty depicting the tranquility of the Shang Lake in Changzhou City, East China’s Jiangsu Province. Compared with the calmness of the Shang Lake, the business world is much more billowy. In the sea of business, there are not many helmsmen who could steer the boats safely against growling billows with ease and confidence.
Lien Yuanchang, Chairman of Commercial Best Mart S.R.L., is one of such helmsmen. Mr. Lien started his business overseas from scratch 30 years ago, and is now running an international company with diversified businesses. The past years have seen his great achievements despite countless hardships on the way.
勇闯海外
Starting overseas from scratch
忆往昔，峥嵘岁月稠。回忆起创业之处的往事，连元章以他平和的语调向《中国对外贸易》记者娓娓道来。
连元章的第一站是南美的巴拉圭。80年代初，从台湾文化大学新闻系毕业后，他动了去巴拉圭开店的想法。“机缘是这样的。当时，我阿姨先到巴拉圭开店，因资金有限，她多是向香港商人半打、一打的拿货，因为量小不成规模，生意难做觉得难过，向我母亲哭诉，母亲就帮助她从台湾出货到巴拉圭。”
1982年，他创立了元丰国际有限公司(Commercial? Best?Mart?S.R.L.)，妻子负责店里业务，他则负责寻找新的商品。开始是向别人拿货，后来自己寻找供货商，从香港、大陆、日本等地进货，并设法在美国设立发货仓库。
创业之初，进口的货品主要是雨伞、饰品，1982年改为经营商场后，开始扩大产品规模，进口玩具、礼品、文具、家用品等商品。因为觉得租赁商场周围环境较差，连元章决定自己建商场。如今，他已在巴拉圭拥有5座商场。
初来乍到，生意也并非一帆风顺。“当初由于人生地不熟的原因，不可避免地遭受了一些损失。”连元章回忆道。首先是法律问题，由于对当地法律的不熟悉，吃了很多苦头。“当地的工会力量很强，特别注重保护工人。律师甚至寻找机会利用当地的《劳工法》对企业施压，比如说我们公司当时的午休制度允许工人在中午12点至1点之间在公司休息，本以为是善意行为，但这样也被告。因为当地法律认为这本应是工作时间。”
In a peaceful tone, Mr. Lien shared his entrepreneurship and life experience with China’s Foreign Trade.
Paraguay in South America is the place where Mr. Lien started to do business. He had this idea of opening a store in Paraguay in the beginning of the 1980s after graduation from the Department of Journalism of Chinese Culture University in Taiwan. “At that time, my aunt had a store in Paraguay. But with limited funding, she had to buy only a dozen or half a dozen products at wholesale from Hong Kong businessmen. The small-sized business did not bring much profit. She wept out her difficulty to my mother, who then began to help her source products from Taiwan,” Lien told our reporters.
Mr. Lien founded Commercial Best Mart S.R.L. in 1982. At that point, her wife ran the store and he kept looking for new products to sell. He started by buying commodities at wholesale, and later had his own suppliers in Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan and other regions. He managed to set up a shipping warehouse in the United States.
At the beginning, Lien mainly dealt in umbrella and ornament. He began to expand the scope of his business to include toys, gifts, stationary, household goods, etc., in 1982 when he leased a shopping mall. Not liking the bad environment surrounding the mall, he decided to build one of his own. Now, he has five shopping malls in Paraguay.
Things did not go smoothly for him as a new comer in Paraguay. “As a total stranger, I suffered some losses,” said Mr. Lien. He suffered losses due to unfamiliarity with local laws. “They have very powerful unions actively protecting the rights of workers. Lawyers would even go through lengths to use local labor law to put pressure on enterprises. For example, my company allowed workers to rest in the company from 12:00am to 1:00pm. But we were sued for this kind action, since local laws stipulate it as working time.”
然而吃一堑长一智，“我们并不认为这是对外来企业的歧视，我们要去适应当地的社会环境与法律，这样才会进步。”他说。
当地治安环境欠佳，为了保护其公司以及台湾旅巴侨胞的安全，他不顾个人安危，挺身而出，多次奔波于当地政府部门，成立小组，保障了公司及侨胞的财产安全。
虽历经磨难，“我的背后有一个永远支持我的贤内助，她是我坚强的后盾。”连元章不无幸福地说道。
“A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.” “We did not consider that as discrimination against foreign enterprises. Instead, we tried to adapt to the local society and laws. Only by doing this can we develop,” Lien said.
The public security environment in Paraguay was not very good. Mr. Lien risked his own safety to negotiate with the local government and set up teams, in order to protect the property and safety of his company and fellow Taiwanese.
Despite all the hardships, “I’ve always had a good wife having my back. She has given me the strongest support,” Lien said pleasantly.
经营有道
Wise business management
连元章的生意在巴拉圭日渐红火，并开始向周边邻近国家巴西、美国等地铺设。而这些成绩的取得要依赖于他的经营有方。为此，他荣获了“海外华人第五届创业楷模”称号。
首先是独特的创意。“一点点想法就可以让我们区别于别人。”他对记者表示。他举例说，“刚来的时候，我们进行贝壳、戒指、雨伞等贸易。对贝壳饰以金丝，开始是人工捆绑，后来改为机械操作。另外，早在30年前我们就对雨伞加上花边进行美化，并提供质量较好的伞套，而不是那种一次性的。”
除经营商场外，连元章也有意改变元丰国际的经营模式。以前拿货是向日本进口货品批发给别人，或向香港独家代理精品在当地销售。如今，为使商品更加多元化，他开始从大陆、印度尼西亚、越南等地进口商品。脚步站稳后，便与人合伙投资，与一些台商成立国泰银行。一方面经营商场，一方面开店，并在经营管理上立下基本原则：“我尽量将商场的店面出租，若是自己开店，店内销售的商品会尽量避免与商场的客户相同，我会站在客户的立场考虑，与他们建立长久关系。”
With booming business in Paraguay, Mr. Lien began to expand into neighboring nations such as Brazil and the United States. He won the 5th Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurial Role Model Award for his wise business management.
He has creative ideas. “A little thought will distinguish us from others,” he told the reporters. For example, he said, “When I just arrived there, we dealt in shells, rings, umbrellas, and etc. We embossed shells with golden wire first by hand and later by machine. And we laced the umbrella to beautify them as early as 30 years ago. We also provided good quality umbrella bags, instead of disposable ones.
When operating shopping malls, Lien decided to change the operating pattern of his company. Previously he imported goods from Japan and wholesale to others, or be the sole agent of Hong Kong high-class products and sell locally. In order to diversity his products, he began to import from the Mainland, Indonesia, Vietnam and other places. Having got a firm
foot hold, he and some Taiwan businessmen jointly established the Cathay Bank.
Now Mr. Lien runs shopping malls and stores
at the same time. With regard to his principle on operation and management, he said, “I try to rent the spaces of the shopping malls. If I have my own store in the mall, I would try to sell different products than those sold by my clients. I would think in the position of my clients, and have long-term cooperation with them.”
谈及市场策略，他表示，“美国市场很大，因此元丰国际在洛杉矶设立发货仓库。为减少库存，现在进货都是少量多样，货柜数量比以前减少许多，以前每年进口多达1000个货柜，现在每年100多个。”
目前，家用品占元丰国际营业额的近六成，其他则是礼品、玩具及计算机配件等。连元章逐渐在家用品、大宗玩具方面，树立了自己的品牌。
“由于消费者对商品的样式、功能等要求不同，通常我们会等到第二次回单时，才能判断商品畅销与否，并据此决定是否增加货品。在目标客户的定位上，我们锁定中上阶层的客户，因为该阶层利润较高，竞争也较小。”他对记者表示。
问及元丰国际的销售策略，连元章表示，“我们主要是采取‘坐销’，即坐在店里等待顾客自动上门。”
“当然，我们会建立完整的客户档案，包括他们的联系信息、我们与客户谈话中捕捉的讯息等，都会详加记录。我们也会通过业务员主动销售。以前我们主要参加当地展览来寻找代理商，现在因为产品模式是少量多样，参展就少了。”他补充道。
“少量多样”的情况下，连元章开始在售后服务上下功夫。“比如，我们做显示器，很早就开始注重售后服务了，我们在巴西设有多处维修点，顾客可以在巴拉圭买我们的产品，在巴西维修。”
谈及金融风暴，他说，“我们并未受大的波及，因为我们资金周转主要以现金模式，但当地市场疲软对我们还是有些影响，回到1986-1994年的黄金时代有困难。”
此外，给工人以充分的信任。元丰国际开始时员工不多，干部以华人为主。他认为，元丰国际能有今天，是靠大家一起合作打拼取得的。因此，他对工人关爱有加，平时并不过多过问公司的业务，而是放心交给工人。“现在很多责任人跟着我已经30年了，这得益于相互的信任，信任可以达成双赢。”在他的公司，连续工作3年以上的工人，就有机会获得提拔，并得到奖金或分到100多平米的公寓房，以资鼓励。
Asked about his marketing strategy, Lien said, “The U.S. market is large, so Commercial Best Mart S.R.L. established a shipping warehouse in Los Angeles. To reduce inventory, we stock a great variety of products, each in a small amount. The number of containers was reduced to over 100 per yea from the previously over 1000.”
Home products now account for nearly 60% of his company’s turnover. The rest was taken by gifts, toys, computer accessories, etc. The company has gradually established recognized brands of home products and wholesale toys.
“As consumers have different requirements for the style and function of commodities, we have to wait until the second-time order to know whether a product sells good or not, and decide whether to increase the inventory of it. We target middle- and upper-class customers, as profit is high and competition is less fierce in that stratum,” Lien told the reporters.
Asked about his sales strategy, Mr. Lien said, “We use the strategy of ‘Sit-and-Sell’ –sitting in the store, and waiting for the customers to come.”
“We of course have customer profiles, including their contact information, and the information we captured in conversation with them. We also sell actively. We used to attend local exhibitions to find sales agents. But now we have a wide variety of products, each in a small amount, so we participate in shows less often,” he added.
Mr. Lien attached great importance to after-sales service.“We have been emphasizing after-sales service since very early. For example, we have many maintenance points in Brazil for the monitors we sell. Customers can buy our monitors in Paraguay and get them repaired in Brazil.”
Talking about the financial turmoil, Lien said, “We have not been affected, as our capital turnover is mainly in the form of cash. But weak demand in the local market has some impact on us. It is difficult to repeat the success in the golden years from 1986 to 1994.”
Mr. Lien fully trusts its staff. It didn’t have many staff at the beginning. Most of the management was Chinese. Mr. Lien believed that the company’s success should be attributed to the hard work of its employees. Therefore, he takes good care of his employees. He doesn’t make all the decisions in the company, but give full trust to his staff. “Many of my staff has worked with me for 30 years, thanks to mutual trust and win-win collaboration.”Anyone who has worked for more than three years in his company is offered the opportunity to be promoted, and given bonuses or an apartment of over 100 sqm.
热心公益
Enthusiastic in public good
身在巴拉圭，他不仅关注的是如何扩大自己的贸易，更加关注的是如何回馈当地社会。他的公司雇佣了很多当地工人，每年都会给当地贫困人群施以救济。
In Paraguay, Mr. Lien did not only focus on expanding his business, but also on contributing to the local community. His company hires a large number of local workers, and gives aids to poor people every year.
“开始是找市政府做，但市政府管理无方，后来我们找到主教，这样就能确保救济物资到达真正需要的人手上。多的时候，我们救济的对象达5000户家庭。”他介绍说。
另外，当地医疗水平薄弱，他看在眼里，决定开办医院，委托当地的医疗部门接管，给病人提供免费医疗。“当时，我们从台湾进口了3000个育儿箱。10年前用过育儿箱的第一个婴儿现在茁壮成长，她的母亲很是感动，我们也很高兴。”
教育方面，连元章结合当地的侨商力量对巴拉圭亚松森大学进行捐赠，设置奖学金，以协助当地贫困学子就学。
不仅对当地如此，对于侨胞，连元章也关爱有加。他善用台湾资源，协助当地侨商改善企业经营状况并实现转型。为使旅巴侨商突破经营瓶颈，他在投资环境评估、侨商经营项目、现状及困境等方面，积极与侨务委员研究解决方案。为协助侨商解决资金融通问题，他返台四处奔走协调，促使台湾中国信托商业银行在巴拉圭设立分行，提供侨胞融资服务。
当时旅巴的侨胞渐多，子女教育成为困扰侨胞的重要问题。于是，为解决该问题并传承中华文化教育，他主动规划并结合当地侨商力量捐款成立巴拉圭东方市第一所华人学校“中山侨校”，造福当地侨商子弟。20年来他自费赞助由台湾运送相关教材书籍，供东方市中山侨校、后来的亚松森中正侨校等学校使用。
此外，为关怀返台就学的侨商子弟，他定期捐赠奖学金资助大专院校在学侨生、返台升学的海外侨校的教师子弟等。
“First we worked with the municipal government. But they didn’t have good management. So we asked the Bishop to give our relief supplies to those in need. Our aids once reached as many as 5000 families,” he said.
Having noticed the backwardness of medical care in Paraguay, Mr. Lien built a hospital, which was taken over by the local Health Department and provides free medical care to the patient. “We imported 3000 baby boxes from Taiwan ten years ago. The first baby to use the box ten years ago is now very healthy. Her mother was very thankful. We are very happy to see that.”
Besides, Mr. Lien, together with other Chinese businessmen, made donations to Asuncion University of Paraguay, to set up scholarships for students from financiallystricken families.
Lien is also caring of oversea Chinese. Making good use of Taiwan resources, Lien helped Chinese businessmen in Paraguay improve their business operation and realize business transformation. In order to help Chinese companies in Paraguay break through operation bottlenecks, he actively sought solutions with Commissioners of Overseas Affairs in such aspects as investment climate assessment, businesses, situations and difficulties of Chinese companies in Paraguay. In order to help overseas Chinese businessmen resolving financial problems, he made great efforts to get Chinatrust Commercial Bank set up a branch in Paraguay to provide financing service to overseas Chinese.
With more and more Chinese settling down in Paraguay, the education of their children became a major problem. In order to address the problem and to pass on the Chinese culture, Mr. Lien proposed and built Zhongshan Chinese School, the first Chinese school in Ciudad del Este City of Paraguay, with funding from himself and other Chinese businessmen there. For 20 years, he has been sending free books from Taiwan to this school, which was renamed Zhongzheng School of Asuncion, and some other schools in Paraguay.
In addition, he donates scholarships on a regular basis to overseas Chinese who return to study in Taiwan junior colleges and for children of Chinese teachers working overseas who come back to Taiwan to go to college.
内地布局
Presence in mainland China
中国大陆经济的迅速发展，连元章看在眼里，急在心里。虽远在海外，他始终关注着大陆的发展，并竭力寻找投资机会，做出自己的贡献，他觉得这是一种“召唤”。
Even though Mr. Lien has been living overseas, he has paid close attention to the rapid economic development in mainland China. He feels obliged to seek investment opportunities here and make some contributions.
“我们在异地拼打多年，不想单打独斗，就想把我们的资金、经验带回去，共谋发展。”他深情地说道。
2010年两岸签署经济合作框架协议（ECFA）之后，两岸经贸合作迎来新的历史机遇。连元章是ECFA及马英九政府的积极支持者。他表示，两岸经贸合作，携手共赢，是台商的共同心愿。
去年，他觉得回大陆投资的时机已经成熟，开始在内地布局。记者采访之时，正逢他在北京受邀参加中华全国台湾同胞联谊会(简称全国台联)举行的“台商回国投资考察”活动。之前，据他介绍，已在北京考察了商务旅馆、餐厅等项目，在上海已入股格林豪泰连锁酒店，其宝贝豆（Baby?Doll）餐厅业已入住宁波商业中心，近期正在洽谈长白山的矿泉水生产项目。
“我们比较关注连锁经营模式，今后我们也将开办商务旅馆、餐厅等服务业的定向培训活动，助力于内地的人才培养以及经济发展。”
一个小插曲是他让女儿在内地做北京大学的交换生，“这样她才会更好地熟悉中国，以利将来在商业上有所发展。”
目前，内地企业“走出去”的呼声渐高。“对于去海外投资的企业来说，这是好事，但它们需要熟悉当地的法律，多咨询同胞、商协会等避免无谓损失，另外，深耕海外要以夷制夷，因为当地人比较了解本土市场。”他对记者表示。
如今，身为世界台湾商会联合总会名誉总会长、全球华商经贸学员联谊总会名誉总会长的连元章，希冀新一轮的发展。“未来，希望在内地继续深耕饮食业、服务业方面的连锁行业，树立自有品牌。”他憧憬道。
“We have been working for many years overseas. But we don’t want to be alone. We would like to bring our capital and experience back to our motherland and seek common development,” he said emotionally.
The signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) in 2010 ushered in new historical opportunities for economic and trade cooperation across the straits. Mr. Lien is an active supporter of ECFA and the Ma Ying-jeou administration. He said win-win economic and trade cooperation between the two sides is the common aspiration of Taiwan businessmen.
He believed time was right for investment in the Mainland last year, and started to work on it. The interview was conducted when Mr. Lien was in Beijng on the Overseas Taiwan Businessmen Investment Tour held by the AllChina Federation of Taiwan Compatriots. Mr. Lien said he visited business hotels, restaurants and other projects. He has purchased stakes in Greentree Inn hotel chain in Shanghai. His Baby Doll restaurant has been admitted to the Ningbo Business Center. He is now looking at a mineral water production project in Changbai Mountain.
“We are more interested in the model of chain operation. In the future we will also offer special training for business hotels, restaurants and other service industries, to help train personnel and promote economic development in the Mainland.”
Lien’s daughter is studying in Peking University as an exchange student. “A better knowledge of China will be helpful to her as a businesswoman in the future.”
Now the Chinese government encourages domestic enterprises to go global. “This is a good thing for Chinese enterprises investing overseas. But they need to be familiar with local laws, and have frequent consultation with fellow Chinese enterprises, chambers of commerce, and industrial associations, so as to avoid unnecessary losses. They should also hire local people who have a better understanding of the local market,” Lien told the reporters.
As honorary president of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce, honorary president of the World Federation of Chinese Traders Alumni, Lien Yuanchang is expecting a new wave of development. He expressed his hope to establish his own brands in the catering and service industries in the Mainland in the future.