​Chinese oil giant pledges better competitive edge

Li Xinmin is a CPC delegate and senior employee with PetroChina's operations in Iraq.[Photo: Xinhua]

Delegates from various sectors have reviewed their work over the past five years, as well as detailing their targets for the future development on sidelines of the now-closed 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Among them, a delegate with a Chinese energy giant says his company wants to become more involved in competition on the international market.

Li Xinmin is a CPC delegate and senior employee with PetroChina's operations in Iraq. 

Responding to a question from a CRI reporter, he suggests they're facing a lot of challenges when going abroad, including issues such as weather conditions and local conflicts.

"When we work at an oilfield in northeast China, the lowest temperature was minus 30 degree Celsius. In Iraq, temperatures can reach as high as 55 degrees Celsius, which is almost unbearable for us. A few days before I came back to China, a conflict among local forces broke out. We later discovered 17 bullet holes inside our residence."

The expert says that despite the tough working conditions, they realize they have to overcome all these difficulties if they are to compete in the international market.

Addressing the CPC National Congress, Chinese President and General-Secretary of the CPC, Xi Jinping, has suggested China's economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage which stresses high-quality development. 

Li Xinmin says his PetroChina team is taking steps to improve the quality of their projects to improve their competitive edge in the global market.

"The drilling crews strictly ahere to international standards. We're maintaining a flawless record to date. Especially in Iraq, our rig teams have never run into an underground accident. We always try to ensure the quality of our projects, because it maintains trust with our customers. We are confident we can compete with all other energy giants on the global market."

Chinese authorities have been encouraging domestic companies to go abroad and participate in the global competition.

To gain competitive edge on the global market, many Chinese companies have been taking steps to improving the quality of their products, as well as making technological advancements.