Shen Yushi: cloud computing is ALL that matters

Shen Yushi was born in 1978, the year when China first adopted its policy of reform and opening up. In China, we have a saying: "四十不惑" (si shi bu huo), which means "when you turn 40 you should be without doubts".

Shen Yushi, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at 21Vianet Group, takes an interview from China Plus. [Photo: China Plus]

From Beijing to the Silicon Valley, and then back to China's capital, does this tech guru now have a clear picture of his life calling? Shen Yushi sat down with China Plus for an in-depth interview for our series "Deep Dive: Talks with Chinese Internationals".

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A Mid-age Tech Guru with A Young Heart

by Manling, host of China Plus

Due to Mr. Shen's tight schedule, we agreed to meet in a teahouse tucked away near an office building complex in Beijing's third ring road area. We were further compromised by a substandard interview room, which didn't provide great background ambiance, and relatively stuffy temperature inside, as a result of switching off the air conditioner for noise control. At the peak of summer, waiting even an additional 30 minutes for our guest pushed everyone's patience to their limit. However, we sat and waited in anticipation.

Shen Yushi, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at 21Vianet Group [File photo: provided to China Plus]

Suddenly, a young man in sports attire finally showed up, appearing quite busy and deep in thought. Apparently, this was our guest, Shen Yushi. We agreed to a casual dress code but didn't expect him to be in THIS casual. Due to our time restraints, there wasn't much time to change clothes, so we prayed that our cameras would find his appearance agreeable.

Every aspect of life has two sides. A blessing could be disguised as a curse. Throughout the interview, we discovered a personality more compatible with his demeanor in sportswear than his typical public image in a suit and tie, which people are more familiar with. Mr. Shen is extensively sought by individuals who are interested in the top achievers in IT industry, more specifically in the field of cloud computing, on which the country and its people might have placed hope on building up its own innovative power to compete with the world's tech giants. Isn't it our duty to present him in his true light? This is without a doubt our purpose.