Zhang Huamei and her historic first certificate (left) [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Zhang Huamei from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, was the first person in China to receive a certificate for running a small private business. She is still running her button business after 38 years of ups and downs.

Zhang is 58 years old now and has come a long way over nearly forty years as a businesswoman. Starting from a small stall selling daily necessities in Wenzhou, her business has expanded to a medium-sized factory making buttons for the clothing industry.

In the 1970s, Zhang was despised by many for selling daily necessities during the era of the planned economy. In late 1978, China adopted its reform and opening-up policy, which marked the country's support for private businesses. Zhang applied for a small private business certificate in 1980 to allow her independent operation of her business.

She got the certificate with the number 10101 on Dec 11, 1980, and became the first officially acknowledged private business owner in China.

Today, applying for a certificate for a private business is no longer difficult. The data from Zhejiang Administration for Industry and Commerce shows that by the end of 2018's first quarter, there have been 3,971,000 private business owners in the province.

However, to maintain what has been achieved is not easy.

The most valuable thing for Zhang is that she still sticks to doing business though she has experienced lots of ups and downs, and many business owners have given up over the past 38 years.

Zhang says she owes her success in business to the country's policies of reform and opening-up. "The certificate is quite meaningful to my life and I am willing to be a lifelong private business owner," she said.