dognovel Chapter 1672 Starting with Oil
Chapter 1672 Starting with Oil
Chapter 1672 Starting with Oil
"Judging from the tonnage, it should be over 10,000 tons."
Andrew, holding binoculars, observed the steel behemoths in the dock. "How many 10,000-ton cargo ships have you produced now?"
Xu Sinian didn't rush to answer his question, but instead looked at Li Xuewu and raised his eyebrows, his eyes full of mockery.
Catherine, of course, didn't want to see her father embarrass himself, so she reminded him, "Seven ships a year, the goal for this year is ten."
"Ten ships?!" Andrew turned to look at Xu Sinian in surprise, and seeing the confident smile on his face, he then looked at Li Xuewu.
Li Xuewu, however, remained calm, gazing at the distant harbor as if deep in thought.
The group came to Yingcheng Shipyard for research, but there weren't as many officials accompanying them as last night; two Hongtu buses were enough to accommodate them.
"There are mainly more bulk cargo ships."
Xu Sinian glanced at Catherine and explained to Andrew with a smile, "Shunfeng Ocean Shipping has ordered 17 mineral transport ships of 25,000 tons each."
"Shunfeng Ocean Shipping?" Andrew nodded knowingly and said, "They've developed really fast in the last two years."
This doesn't sound sarcastic at all. Hong Kong is a small place, but it is an important shipping hub in Southeast Asia.
The fact that Asia's shipping magnate and the world's shipping magnate will be born here is enough to show how prosperous the shipping market is here.
Shunfeng Ocean Shipping was established in 67. It is very young, but it has a wide range of businesses and a very unconventional approach.
They dare to take on routes that ordinary freight companies wouldn't dare to undertake. The crew members on board are all armed sailors, and the ship's firepower is extremely strong.
Previously, there were instances of cargo ships being robbed and threatened in Asia, but this situation has disappeared since 68.
It is said that two cargo ships used anti-aircraft guns to attack three pirate boats, destroying two of them, while the third managed to escape. Since then, no one in the underworld has dared to touch cargo ships that sail with the wind.
I overheard this story in a casual chat at the club, but the truth is that they deliberately let the ship escape, otherwise who would know how powerful a favorable wind could be?
The crew is highly disciplined, has strong combat capabilities, and is equipped with advanced weaponry, truly fulfilling the basic requirements for ocean-going operations.
Of course, if you were to suggest using destroyers or submarines, they wouldn't even face resistance on a long, easy journey, since they are just commercial cargo ships.
In just three or four years, with the support of Prince Edward Port Authority in Hong Kong, Shunfeng Ocean Shipping started by undertaking cargo transportation business with the mainland and is now one of the top shipping companies in Hong Kong.
While the shipping companies in the port city, such as Baojia, were still relying on chartering ships to conduct business at that time, Shunfeng Ocean Shipping had already begun to buy its own ships.
Moreover, compared to other shipping companies, SF Express has a unique approach to purchasing vessels: it buys them from the mainland.
In those days, who didn't know that the mainland was synonymous with backwardness? How could a ship bought from the mainland possibly run?
As it turns out, the ships bought from the mainland are not only cheaper, but they can actually run.
Buying cargo ships of the same class from Yingcheng Shipbuilding can save at least 30 percent. What does that mean?
To understand why Shunfeng Ocean Shipping is developing well and rapidly, we must first understand the fundamental reasons for its sustained efforts.
"Yes, they're the ones who book the most boats here."
Xu Sinian nodded, holding onto the railing with both hands, and introduced, "Secondly, there is the Santaya Group and a local shipping company."
Of course he knew about Dongfeng Shipping's background and connections. They were just using a different name to become Shunfeng Ocean Shipping. Xu Sinian was well aware of the relationship between the two.
Although he did not know the specific controlling shareholders of Dongfeng Shipping and Shunfeng Ocean Shipping, he knew that both businesses were currently related to Li Xuewu.
He was also very familiar with Ji Weidong's background, and the situation was very complicated. Even if he could guess what was going on, he wouldn't meddle.
So while chatting idly with Andrew, he also chose to keep Dongfeng Shipping's information.
Even if Catherine knew, he didn't want to tell her.
"Is Honggang Group's mining expansion in Australia going smoothly?"
Andrew looked at Li Xuewu in surprise and asked, "Are all these ships ordered for this project?"
"Actually, our group's investment in this project is very small."
Li Xuewu gestured with his hands to explain, "It mainly involves the shareholding cross-shareholding plan with Hong Kong Oriental Times Bank, which is quite complicated."
“I’ve heard some things about it,” Andrew nodded knowingly, “a collaboration between two financial institutions.”
"Yes, we are still a downstream industry."
Li Xuewu pointed to the sea and said, "The real business we can get involved in is the ore that comes from the sea and arrives at the port."
“Actually, Africa also has abundant mineral resources. If possible, we are also considering transporting them back from even more distant places.”
"Yes, that's a continent that even God would be jealous of."
Andrew makes no secret of his covetousness for Africa and his disdain for the land's administrators.
Li Xuewu neither confirmed nor denied his words, shrugged, turned around, and said with his back to the wind, "Honggang Group lacks mineral resources in the mainland, especially iron ore."
“Yes, you are short of iron.” Andrew nodded slowly and said, “Importing iron ore from Australia is indeed a good option.”
"It's both lacking and not lacking," Li Xuewu said with a helpless smile. "Honggang Group is a market-oriented experimental enterprise."
"That's a really interesting definition."
Andrew found it amusing and patted the railing in front of him, saying, "Either rely entirely on planning, or rely entirely on the market."
He turned back to Li Xuewu and reminded him, "You won't get any truth from this experiment."
"We are better at summarizing and drawing conclusions."
Li Xuewu said confidently, "If you stay in the mainland for a longer period of time, you will discover our secret."
"Is that so, Catherine?"
After explaining to Andrew, he looked at Catherine and asked her a question.
While watching the seagulls, she turned back and glanced at the group, saying, "Aren't you going to talk about the port agency's business?"
With her father there and her relationship with Li Xuewu, she recklessly broke the unspoken agreements in the business world.
Andrew glanced at Li Xuewu and the other man, finding it somewhat amusing.
Everyone returned to the car, and Xu Sinian instructed the driver to head towards the port area.
This vehicle has been converted into a conference room, with two small tables in the middle that can be folded up. People can sit around the tables, and it's no problem to have a meeting with six or seven people.
Li Xuewu sat on the left side of the innermost seat, Catherine sat next to Li Xuewu, and Yu Decai sat next to Catherine.
Seeing that there was only one seat left, Xu Sinian could only sit next to Andrew.
And so, the group started talking about cooperation on the way to the port.
One of them is pretending to be reserved because they understand each other, while the other is trying to win me over with a push-and-pull dynamic. Their tacit understanding was already established long ago.
-
"Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation."
Yu Decai stood up with a smile, took the initiative to shake hands with Catherine, and they exchanged the cooperation documents for the Hong Kong region that they had just signed.
"Thank you, it's a pleasure doing business with you."
Catherine smiled and looked at her father sitting below the stage, but Li Xuewu was nowhere to be seen in the hall.
Just the day before yesterday, after some discussion in the car, everyone finalized the general direction and intentions. After two days of hard work, they finally came up with a cooperation agreement that satisfied everyone.
"In fact, we can cooperate in a wider range of areas."
Yu Decai smiled and posed for a photo with Catherine, explaining softly, "Next year, our port area will establish a free trade experimental center, and we hope that you and your company can participate."
"Free Trade Experiment Center?"
Catherine became interested in the project and turned to Yu Decai, asking, "What kind of project is it? What are the main areas of trade?"
“All,” Yu Decai gestured for her to leave first, then followed her off the stage, explaining, “You can think of this experimental center as an external business organization similar to the Tianjin Trade Management Center.”
"All of this means—"
Catherine, unable to contain her interest, turned to him and asked, "Are all the goods from the Tianjin Trade Management Center on the shelves of the experimental center?"
"Actually, I'm more concerned about whether your experimental center can process any product that enters the port area."
“This is what we are currently researching,” Yu Decai explained with a smile. “Inviting you in advance is entirely out of friendship between us.”
"Of course, I feel honored."
Catherine pursed her lips, but a glint flashed in her eyes. Yu Decai had told her this news. What about Li Xuewu?
She had no doubt that Li Xuewu knew about this news much earlier, so why hadn't he told her?
Does he still feel that he is not sincere enough?
Catherine has 36 ways to prove her sincerity, and it's that bastard Li Xuewu who's disloyal.
"Congratulations, I'm so proud of you."
Andrew gently hugged his daughter, watching her grow up and succeed, feeling more fulfilled than if he had gained anything himself.
Thank you, Dad—
Catherine gently patted her father's back before straightening up and explaining, "I haven't done well enough."
"You've already done a great job."
Andrew smiled and comforted his daughter, saying, "At least you're doing much better than I was at your age."
“How can I compare to you?” Catherine said in a soft voice, linking her arm with her father’s. “You will always be my idol and my role model.”
"Hahahaha—" Being admired by one's own daughter is more gratifying than receiving a hundred compliments from others.
After finishing the signing ceremony in the morning, the father and daughter strolled and chatted in the small garden of the Unity Hotel.
"Just now at the ceremony, Yu Decai, the person in charge of the port area, told me that Honggang Group will set up a free trade experimental center in the port area next year."
Catherine couldn't help but tell her father the news she had just received.
"What do you think their purpose is in doing this?"
She said with some doubt, "Aren't they already operating in the mainland in an experimental manner? They've set up another free trade experimental center."
“Yes, Li Xuewu told me about this.” Andrew sighed and said, “Honggang Group is developing really fast.”
"He told you this news?"
Catherine was even more surprised. She frowned and asked, "When? How come I didn't know?"
“Hahaha—” Andrew looked at his daughter with amusement and said, “He bet me that you would be very anxious after you found out.”
"Who said that! I'm not anxious!"
Seeing her father smiling happily, Catherine stubbornly insisted, like a little girl, "He's just a big liar who knows how to fool people."
“Of course, even my daughter was fooled, so his tricks are quite clever,” Andrew said meaningfully. “I admire him a little.”
"Hmph—you big liar—"
Catherine was actually a little older than Li Xuewu, but in front of her father, she would always be a little girl.
Andrew didn't care much about these relationships, but he earnestly reminded his daughter, "I know he has a family and children."
"And I'm also certain that he has better opportunities for development in mainland China."
He looked at his daughter seriously and nodded, emphasizing, "You can't expect to have it all; that's impossible."
“Yes, I asked him.” Catherine nodded and explained, “He has no intention of leaving.”
“You’ve studied traditional Chinese culture,” Andrew said, looking at his daughter. “Does a fish still have the strength to live when it’s out of water?”
"This is his water, and he is the fish here."
Andrew raised an eyebrow and said, "In this water, he's like a shark, someone you have to look up to."
"I certainly don't deny his abilities, but once he leaves here, his influence will definitely disappoint you."
Looking at his daughter's expression, he said with some helplessness, "This is what I told you: you can't have everything."
"If he really decides to abandon everything here and go with you, do you still think he is the one you admire?"
"dad--"
Catherine said coquettishly, "I'm already ashamed of myself without your detailed analysis."
“You’re a smart child, you always have been.” Andrew looked at his daughter with affection and said with a smile, “But sometimes being too smart can backfire.”
"I won't, and I won't in the future."
Catherine said through gritted teeth, "Next time I see him, I'll teach him a lesson."
"Heh—" Andrew glanced at his daughter, then looked ahead and said quietly, "You still don't want to go back to Italy, do you?"
“Dad—” Catherine shook her father’s arm and said, “I thought we were on the same page about this.”
"Yes, yes, I already know."
Andrew nodded and said, "You have your own career now, and you no longer need your father's opinion."
“You’ve put me in a difficult position…” Catherine hesitated before explaining, “It’s not because of him, I want to make my own choice.”
“Dad was young once too, and I know what you’re thinking,” Andrew said earnestly to his daughter. “When you get to my age, you’ll see through a lot of things and you’ll also find yourself nagging your children.”
"Because we always sincerely hope that you can avoid some detours, or rather, master the experience we have accumulated, and achieve success more quickly."
“But I was born into a position of success.” Catherine looked at her father and emphasized, “As your daughter, I feel very happy and joyful, and I have no regrets. So where would I get the motivation to strive?”
“You said I’ve grown up and have my own ideas. Actually, I want to try the joy of entrepreneurship, just like you did back then.”
She shook her head slightly and said with some emotion, "If I didn't understand your struggles, how could I inherit your will?"
"And I'm not afraid of failure. Even if I fail in my business, I can still be your daughter. If I succeed, it means that your will has been implemented correctly."
"Is this all you learned from him here?"
Andrew said, somewhat amused and proud, "I almost didn't recognize my daughter. Who is this philosopher?"
“Dad—” Catherine smiled and took his hand, saying, “You should be proud of me, because you are my pride.”
“I’ve heard countless flattering words,” Andrew said, pointing to his daughter, “but this one is the most satisfying.”
"If you'd like to hear more, I can tell you more."
Catherine smiled happily, and as they walked, she couldn't help but ask, "Do you want me to go back and marry an Italian man?"
"Do I hope it makes sense?"
Andrew said regretfully, "This is your life, and of course you have the choice to make it, because I believe you will make the right decision now."
He looked at his daughter and said, "Just like running a business, love and marriage also need to be properly managed, nurtured, and cared for."
"Love doesn't necessarily lead to marriage, and marriage doesn't necessarily lead to children. It depends on what you want to achieve."
"Thank you, Dad. You are the best dad in the world."
Catherine nestled on her father's shoulder, sighed, and said, "Perhaps one day I will yearn for the fruit."
-
Li Xuewu wasn't in a hurry to return to Gangcheng; rather, attending the signing ceremony wasn't part of his itinerary.
On the way here, he didn't know if an agreement could be reached, or how many days the talks would take. How could he possibly wait in Yingcheng to put pressure on Yu Decai?
Now he lives a life where he has no control over his work and life. He has almost no room for leisure or freedom in his life, and at work he is completely at the mercy of Zhang Jing and Ma Baosen's coordination and arrangements.
It's not that he became a puppet, at their mercy, but rather that when tasks were put out to him, he had to handle them.
Li Xuewu certainly has the authority to take charge of his work. Even if he wants to rest or doesn't want to worry about it, he can do so without anyone restricting him.
However, refusing to work is tantamount to self-exile.
As any reader with management experience knows, management work is continuous. Even if you don't spend a long time on a business trip, or leave things undone for a week, you'll feel disconnected when you return.
If you were to take a three-month leave of absence for training, you wouldn't need your supervisor to talk to you; you'd have to find ways to catch up and work hard to keep up with the pace.
Li Xuewu's abilities are quite good; he travels between Gangcheng and Beijing, and frequently comes down to conduct research.
Even he had to give up his job in the capital and selectively take the lion's share while giving up the smaller share.
Why does he keep such a close eye on the cadres in the General Management Department? Anyone who dares to act recklessly will be kicked out.
Since he couldn't focus on the specific business, he decided to learn from Lao Li and manage people.
Things are all done by people. As long as he can keep people in check, things will naturally not easily go off track.
Of course, since he didn't personally instruct or arrange things, there were bound to be some differences from his ideas.
However, as a leader, you must tolerate your subordinates taking detours, allowing them a learning process, and trust that they can come up with better solutions than you.
Conversely, the same applies: no one is perfect, and even he cannot guarantee that his decisions will always be correct.
For example, if we let Lao Li and Lao Su argue, Lao Su will be unable to hold back, and Zhou Wanquan will get what he wants too easily.
According to the original plan, this process will continue until at least September of this year, when the real show will begin.
However, things are lukewarm right now. Lao Li and Zhou Wanquan are both preparing a big surprise. When they become popular, who knows who will suffer?
While Beijing was bustling with activity in May, the remote steel city remained calm and serene, with a gentle spring breeze.
In mid-May, a notice was issued by higher authorities, calling on industrial enterprises across the country to learn from the Daqing Spirit and requiring all units to organize learning activities.
The slogan is "Learn from Daqing in industry," which is simple and easy to remember.
I don't know who added a line to this slogan: "The whole country's industry should learn from Daqing, and Liaodong's industry should learn from Honggang."
Li Xuewu couldn't help but laugh when he heard this; it was just too damn insightful.
Just as Honggang Group was actively participating in and organizing related activities, Hu Ke, the head of Liaodong Industry, once again came to the steel city.
Do you have any watermelon? I'd like one.
He was quite unceremonious. When he saw Xiao Ma come in to make him tea, he waved his hand and said, "It's so hot! Why is it so sunny today?"
"Where have you been? You've gotten so tanned!"
Li Xuewu glanced at Hu Ke, whose face was flushed, with amusement. The old man looked like a freshly cooked shrimp.
Hu Ke was still concerned about her image. Li Xuewu's office was constantly filled with cadres coming to ask for instructions and report, including many female comrades.
For a grown man like him, especially a high-ranking official, to unbutton his collar and expose his chest would be incredibly shabby; he could only let his sweat soak through his shirt and stick it to his body.
Actually, the clothing materials of this era were inadequate, especially white shirts, which, when soaked with sweat, clung to the body like transparent clothing.
In later generations, unscrupulous merchants cut corners when making school uniforms for students, and they would use such substandard materials.
As a result, during physical education class, the boys would stare blankly, and some would even get nosebleeds, while the girls would wear a school uniform jacket even on the hottest days.
Hu Ke sat there like Maitreya Buddha, and his panting appearance resembled a big wolfhound; everyone who came in would glance at him.
Having received approval from his superiors, Ma Baosen naturally wouldn't be stingy with such a small amount of office funds, so he called the cafeteria and ordered half a watermelon.
Li Xuewu is the secretary-general and assistant general manager of Honggang Group, and also the general manager of Northeast Industrial Development Corporation. He has office funds at his disposal.
This allowance, of course, needs to be reimbursed, but it's all controlled by Ma Baosen.
Most leaders aren't that generous. If they really get serious, it's all money. If he wants to reimburse something, who would dare argue with him?
If he buys something for everyday use, he'll just write "office supplies," and you'll know what he's spending the money on.
However, Li Xuewu was not that kind of person; from his first day at work, he never took advantage of the company for a single penny.
Of course, he's ruthless enough to never let the government take advantage of him in any way.
He would never be like the cosmic master Sun Liancheng, who managed to get the government to owe him over sixty yuan; that would be incredibly unfair.
"You tell me, I'm working so hard, it's not much different from farming, is it?"
Seeing that Li Xuewu had a break, he sighed and complained, "Even when you're farming, you still need to grow some crops. I've been busy all day, and when I look back, I haven't harvested a single thing!"
Li Xuewu didn't rush to reply. He tightened the pen that Sister Lou had given him and put it aside. He picked up his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and watched his performance.
"Tell me how I ended up like this."
Hu Ke gestured to the mud on her leather shoes and said, "Just got back from the construction site of Beijing Chemical Industry. I'm exhausted."
"That's not right—"
Li Xuewu pointed at Ma Baosen, who was carrying a watermelon, and gestured, "Little Ma, wait a moment."
After stopping Ma Baosen, he said to Hu Ke, "You should be eating watermelon at the Jingcheng Chemical construction site, why are you coming here to beg for money?"
“Even if we don’t give it to him, he won’t serve us,” Li Xuewu said boldly, waving his hand to indicate to Ma Baosen, “Don’t indulge his bad habits.”
Ma Baosen was really obedient. He knew his boss was joking when he said that, but he still carried the plate out.
Hey! You little rascal—
Hu Ke stood up, both amused and annoyed, and chased after him to grab a slice of watermelon. She muttered under her breath, "Learn something good from your boss!"
"If it were up to our leader, I would have taken this watermelon."
Ma Baosen said with a wicked grin, "How could I let you take it away?"
Hu Ke came frequently, and Li Xuewu also went to Fengcheng frequently, especially since the two met often in private.
Ma Baosen was Li Xuewu's secretary, someone who was inseparable from him except when he was sleeping. He also saw Hu Ke more often.
Once you get to know each other, the fear of being in a certain position disappears, and you can joke around when you're not talking about work.
Standing at the door, Hu Ke finally relieved the summer heat by eating a slice of watermelon.
"You've gone astray, you little rascal!"
He took another slice of watermelon, then walked back to the sofa, taking small bites as he said, "You're only eating two bites of watermelon, and you're still talking so much..."
"...I went to check the site, and wasn't it a project you invested in?"
"Next time you visit our group's construction site, come back and ask me for watermelons again."
Li Xuewu didn't move; he just sat in the chair and talked to him across the desk.
This kind of person has no sense of boundaries; they want to take the initiative right from the start to make the conversation easier.
Of course, he wouldn't tolerate the other party's behavior. He quickly drew a line in the sand, and no matter how shameless Hu Ke was, she had to speak within the circle he had drawn.
"I'd like to go, but I'd have to be able to get in!"
Hu Ke looked up and glanced at him, then asked, "What's wrong with your on-site management? Why won't you let people see it?"
"It's the rules, haven't you heard of safe production?"
Li Xuewu casually put down his teacup, but Xiao Ma, with his sharp ears, noticed that the hot water in the teacup was running low, so he took the initiative to bring over a thermos to refill it.
"Even if I want to go to the site, I have to call the engineering team. If anyone can go in, how can the site be managed?"
Honggang Group has only one project in the steel city, which is the underground waterproofing project in the industrial zone.
Compared to the Liangmahe Industrial Zone's approach of building underground projects first and then above-ground projects, the Gangcheng Industrial Zone's approach of simply cutting corners is much more difficult.
The underground engineering work in Liangmahe Industrial Zone has been underway for more than a year, while the construction work in Gangcheng Industrial Zone, which is even larger, has been ongoing for more than two years.
The main construction is nearing completion, but the remaining work will not be finished until at least early next year.
At that time, the ground of the Honggang Steel City Industrial Zone will no longer see roaring trucks, or even trains.
The staff and their families in the industrial park can enjoy the services of the underground supply market all year round, which is warm and comfortable.
The third phase of the project even included an underground passageway for the workers' new village, allowing them to reach the supply market directly without leaving the village.
Although the overall project is not yet completed, organizations from Liaodong have been coming to visit in droves.
This is an industrial system project that has been publicized in newspapers and is hailed as the most innovative three-defense project in Liaodong.
The three-proof engineering project in Liangmahe Industrial Zone is impressive enough, but the area is relatively small and not as spacious as the steel city.
"Here's a suggestion: go out more often."
After Hu Ke finished eating the watermelon, she pointed at him and said, "You've been in Liaodong for so long, but you haven't made many friends yet, have you?"
"What's the use of having too many friends?" Li Xuewu said nonchalantly. "You don't see them when you need them, but they're always hanging around in front of you when you don't."
"One or two close friends are enough."
He stood up, walked to the window, picked up the watering can, and watered the flowers, asking, "You didn't come with any good news, did you?"
"Let me make this clear from the start, you should know what I want. If it's not necessary, let's save ourselves the trouble of talking."
“I have no idea what you want,” Hu Ke said, wiping her hands and mouth with the towel Xiao Ma handed her. “All I know is what we have.”
"The leader's current attitude is that whatever you want, and whatever we have, we can discuss it."
"I want more things."
Li Xuewu chuckled and glanced back at him, saying, "Be sincere. You don't want me to waste your time, right?"
"Of course, your time is valuable."
Hu Ke thought for a moment and said, "I've already spoken to my superiors. If it works out this time, great; if not, oh well, we're just not meant to be."
“My idea is that if you’re going to follow the old approach, there’s absolutely no need for you to conduct experiments with us in Liaodong.”
He looked at Li Xuewu and said earnestly, "In the words of Deputy Director Lu, if you're going to do something, do something big; small things are meaningless."
"What's big?" Li Xuewu asked with a smile. "Shall we work together to turn Shenyang Aircraft Corporation into a conglomerate?"
"You want Shen Fei?" Hu Ke paused, looking at him with a strange expression, and said, "That's not impossible, as long as you..."
"I was just saying, and you actually took it seriously?"
Li Xuewu put down the kettle, looked at him and said, "Nobody wants your Shenfei, and we can't afford it either."
"Let me keep it simple and tell you our terms first, so you don't have to explain it in detail."
He looked down on Hu Ke's stinginess and caution, but he was only thinking from his own perspective. From another perspective, it would be a different story.
As the head of Liaodong Industry, any wrong decision by Hu Ke could cause losses to Liaodong.
Li Xuewu was too shrewd; he had to be on guard.
"Go ahead, go ahead," Hu Ke nodded and said, "I'd also like to hear your opinion."
“We don’t object to collecting scrap, but the scrap must have recycling value, and it’s impossible to do it without an audit.”
Li Xuewu said calmly, "We not only need to conduct asset audits, but also organizational and personnel screenings. We don't practice the old system of equal distribution of resources."
"To be more specific, we do not accept financing-based mergers and acquisitions. If you want to participate, make a decision now, otherwise you will be out of the running."
He walked back to the sofa and sat down, looking at Hu Ke earnestly and said, "We are not afraid of trouble, but we are afraid of suffering for nothing after trouble."
"You just said it yourself, if that's really the case, we might as well go back to farming, don't you think?"
"Of course I can understand you."
Hu Ke thought for a moment and said, "I also really hope this project can be done, especially since it takes up your time."
You can rest assured about that.
Li Xuewu interrupted, emphasizing, "Even if a cooperation agreement is reached, I will not be the person in charge of this project."
"We have a very mature and reliable technical team; all you need to do is cooperate."
"Tell me our terms."
Hu Ke thought for a moment, then couldn't help but sigh and said, "The leader's sincerity is very strong; you'll understand once you hear what I have to say."
"First, there's the land your Northeast Company owns in Fengcheng. He's helping to coordinate and try to find you a better location."
He nodded and continued, "Secondly, there's the sales headquarters of Honggang Group. The leadership's intention is that it can greatly enrich the lives of the people in Liaodong."
"So your group can now set up sales operations in Liaodong. If you need our help and support, please feel free to ask."
“This is a good thing,” Li Xuewu smiled and said, “Honggang Group also hopes to set up its sales company in Liaodong.”
He said, "Actually, it's not just Liaodong; the sales company's target is the entire Northeast, and even the whole of Northeast Asia."
"You may have already heard some news that we are going to set up a free trade center within the Yingcheng Port area."
Li Xuewu tapped the armrest of the sofa and asked, "Do you know what free trade means?"
"An opportunity!" Before Hu Ke could answer, he gave the answer directly, and emphasized: "It's an opportunity to lay out a strategy for the entire Northeast Asia."
"At that time, raw materials will be transported continuously from the sea to Yingcheng, and then by rail all the way to the steel city."
"In Steel City, these raw materials will be assembled into excellent products. Some will return to Yingcheng, be loaded onto ships and leave, while others will continue to spread from Steel City to the entire Liaodong region and the entire Northeast."
Li Xuewu shrugged and said, "The Northeast has the best economic and industrial base in the country, making it the most suitable place to develop sales work."
"Moreover, I am mentally prepared that Liaodong's industry will definitely see great development in the coming years, and its future will be bright."
He nodded and looked at Hu Ke, saying, "The data you have should show that the industrial vitality in Liaodong is recovering, right?"
Hu Ke didn't speak, she just nodded.
He was well aware of whether there was a resurgence in industrial and economic vitality in Liaodong; otherwise, he wouldn't have come to find Li Xuewu.
Lu Qiming dares to make such a fuss, even defying policies, because he has confidence in his abilities.
No matter how you assess it, Liaodong's industrial development data from last year is there for all to see.
Speaking solely of automobiles, with the efforts of Honggang Group, Liaodong surpassed other provinces across the country to become the nation's leading automobile production and export base in the past year.
This applies to cars, appliances, and even the nation's best helicopter manufacturing plant is located in Liaodong.
The industrial power network developed by Honggang Group and United Energy is re-energizing this old machine, providing it with even more powerful performance.
Some people doubt Honggang Group's motives in Liaodong and its ability to actually make a name for itself.
But just by visiting the steel city, one can see how strong Honggang Group's confidence in establishing itself in Liaodong is.
That is why Hu Ke, representing Liaodong Industry, immediately discussed countermeasures with Honggang Group and Li Xuewu.
"Mergers are no longer possible in the automotive, electronics, and other sectors."
Li Xuewu looked at him and said, "If you don't mind, then we can concentrate energy resources on a large scale through United Energy."
"What do you mean?" Hu Ke raised an eyebrow and asked, "Could you explain it more clearly?"
"Industry is also an energy industry."
Li Xuewu emphasized: "Without energy, industry cannot develop. At this time, we might as well start with energy."
"What energy source?" Hu Ke asked, frowning. "Oil? Coal? Or electricity?"
"Oil, that's the easiest thing to work with."
Li Xuewu reminded him, "Beijing Chemical Industry is preparing to set up a petrochemical refining facility in Yingcheng, and we are also involved in this project."
"How many industrial enterprises along this route, from Yingcheng to Fengcheng, need fuel?"
He pointed to the sofa armrest and said, "Even if we don't need oil, do the downstream industries of oil refining need it?"
"Let me just say this: you can't just focus on making money from inside the industry; making money from outside the industry is also very easy."
"Yes, I like listening to this."
Hu Ke grumbled and said, "Tell me, how is it easy to make money outside? I really want to earn some extra cash."
"If you pay attention to the international resource situation, you will know about the upcoming energy competition."
Li Xuewu nodded slowly and explained, "America needs to find a new anchor for the dollar. Gold is no longer enough to keep them busy, so they've set their sights on oil."
"Oil?" Hu Ke frowned and said, "But oil isn't worth much!"
This is true. Oil was worthless in this era. It wasn't that money was very valuable in this era, making oil seem valuable when spent in small amounts, but rather that it was worthless when converted to US dollars.
There's a supply and demand issue involved. For example, if there aren't that many cars yet, and production exceeds demand while consumption decreases, then oil becomes less valuable.
Another issue is that people haven't yet realized the importance of energy, and the economy is in a state of chaos.
America took action first at this point, which shows that she was very thoughtful and forward-thinking, and knew how to make money from outside sources.
Moreover, they turn other people's money into their own, and give their own money to others to spend. Aren't they clever?
Li Xuewu thought that he dared not say he could snatch all the food from their mouths, but he should at least gain some advantage in key activities.
Even a small bargain is still a bargain!
Let's start with oil!