Tallest worker

Yao, currently playing for Houston Rockets in NBA League in the United States, has been granted the ‘Model Worker Award’, Xinhua News Agency quoted the Shanghai Municipal Federation of trade unions as saying.

‘‘I take is it as one more honour and encouragement from the society,’’ Zhang Chi, Yao’s agent, quoted the 7 feet 6 inches tall player as saying. ‘‘I used to think that model worker is the title for those ordinary labourers working hard and leaving their pay out of account, but now, apart from them, special ‘migrant worker’ like me can also be awarded, which proves the development of the society,’’ Yao said.

‘‘But compared to the contributions other winners had made to the motherland, there are still large room for me to improve,’’ Yao said.

Earlier, media reports said that China plans to honour private entrepreneurs for the first time this year during Labour Day. ‘‘We made this policy in line with the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC),” a senior official of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, said.