Lin Jinxiang opens up his lab and offers free tests for new mask makers. /CGTN

Big profit loss, but worth it

With countries around the world desperately looking for quality masks, prices soared. Lin said the market price for each medical mask was as high as 26 yuan ($4) at the time. But he sold masks to hospitals on the frontline for a cut-price of six yuan each, less than a dollar.

"I lost about 300 million yuan in profit during that period. As a medium-sized private company, we were not that rich. But as a member of the CPC, I believe it's my social responsibility, especially when the whole country is faced with such a disaster," Lin explained.

In order to better protect the company's employees, Lin spent around 6 million yuan renting 10 hotels nearby the factory, making sure they could fully devote themselves to work.

With record levels of market demand, many domestic companies decided to invest and produce their own face masks. But only a few companies like Lin's had the qualification to test the materials and evaluate the quality.

In the case, Lin made a bold decision to open up his lab and offer free tests and training for new mask producers.

"I was a little hesitant because it meant sharing my business technology with other manufacturers," Lin told CGTN.

Lin's company warehouse was almost empty in the first half of 2020, with all of the masks delivered to hospitals in China and around the world.

After producing millions of medical masks to fight COVID-19, Lin was rewarded as one of China's top 100 private entrepreneurs who have contributed to the national effort fighting against COVID-19.

"I may have earned less profit this year, but I'll make it back over the next few years. It's the values and sense of duty that define a man, not the profit he makes," Lin told CGTN.

He believes that more entrepreneurs have taken their sense of social responsibility seriously amid the epidemic, and their efforts are helping drive global recovery.