Editor's note: East China's Zhejiang province is renowned for its large international population. Aloft on the wings of China's reform and opening-up policy, a group of Zhejiang people have gone abroad to make a living since the 1970s. As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the policy, the Zhejiang website (www.ezhejiang.gov.cn) is launching a series of stories about overseas Chinese who are originally from Zhejiang, as well as those who are active in the province's development. Stories courtesy of Zhejiang Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Zheshang Magazine

Yu Zhuyun, an entrepreneur from Quzhou, Zhejiang province [Photo/Zheshang Magazine]

From a soldier to a successful entrepreneur, Yu Zhuyun, chairman of Central Holding Group and vice chairman of Quzhou's overseas Chinese federation, has successfully realized his career transformation and is dedicating himself to more social issues.

Born in a village in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, Yu joined the army in the late 1980s. In the early 1990s, after Deng Xiaoping's historic inspection tour of South China, Shenzhen, the southern metropolis with a rising economy, became an attractive destination for young people, including Yu, to seek job opportunities.

He found a sales job at a technology company in Shenzhen, Guangdong province and one year later, went to Hong Kong where he found a place at Comba Telecom, a global leading solutions and services provider of wireless and information communications systems.

In 2003, Comba debuted at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and Yu sold his shares, receiving considerable capital.

In March 2004, he returned to Anhui province where he served as a soldier for four years, and established Central Holding Group. After 14 years of development, the group has grown into a corporate with diversified businesses including real estate, hotels, logistics and tourism.

At the same time, Yu turned his eyes to charity affairs. Himself and his company have so far donated around 48 million yuan ($6.95 million) to help people in need.

In the past 10 years, every time Yu went back to Quzhou, he always did something to improve the lives of elderly people in the village. This year, he invested 5 billion yuan to construct a healthcare and nursing complex in Qujiang district of the city. The complex, with an area of over seven square kilometers, will integrate agriculture, healthcare, tourism and culture to stimulate the local economy.

"I hope people in my hometown can have better lives," Yu explained.