dognovel Chapter 1501 Red Star Speed
Chapter 1501 Red Star Speed
Chapter 1501 Red Star Speed
What do you think is the significance of organizing this event?
Li Huaide really couldn't understand it. He followed the group and wandered around the road that sounded impressive but was actually just a broken wall. The cold wind made his nose run.
I listened to that old Bi ramble on for more than ten minutes, and my mind went completely blank.
Finally, I couldn't resist asking Li Xuewu on the way back.
Li Xuewu chuckled and leaned closer to him, explaining softly, "Showing off, showing off out of guilt."
"Ah—" Li Huaide sighed as if suddenly realizing something, and looked at him, asking, "Is it really that simple?"
“Sometimes the world situation is just a large-scale makeshift operation,” Li Xuewu said with a smile, shaking his head. “One clown after another takes the stage, making it a complete farce.”
"That's really true—"
Li Huaide thought for a moment, then slowly nodded and said, "The more you lack something, the more you want to flaunt it."
"But are they really that insecure?"
"Based solely on what I've seen with my own eyes, I think that's the case." Li Xuewu curled his lip and nodded, saying, "They have no reason to create such a false impression for us, do they?"
“Of course, of course—” Li Huaide agreed wholeheartedly, nodding slowly once again, “It seems that being someone’s dog isn’t a good life.”
"Actually, they're all the same—"
Zhu Xiaolin stretched out her large belly and shifted her position in the chair to make herself more comfortable.
After listening to their conversation, he said, "In my opinion, things might be worse in West Germany than in East Germany."
"We're both being dogs for someone else, but the other side barks louder and tries to play the victim, while the Russians are very concerned about their image."
When he got to this point, he raised his eyebrows, deliberately making it sound funny, which made Li Xuewu shake his head.
"We still need to emphasize self-reliance and hard work." Old Li seemed to have a sudden realization, and said firmly, "We must adhere to the path of independent revolution and construction. This policy cannot be shaken."
“Perhaps this is the purpose and significance of the leaders bringing us out to participate in this activity.” Li Xuewu pointed to the convoy outside the window and said softly, “Know yourself and know your enemy; correct your mistakes if you have any, and strive to improve if you don’t.”
"Hehe—" Zhu Xiaolin looked Li Xuewu up and down and chuckled, "Everyone says you are a well-rounded talent, but I didn't believe it at first."
"Now it seems I was blind to your talent. With your vision and understanding, you'll have a bright future wherever you go."
Li Huaide glanced at him with some concern, then swept his gaze over Li Xuewu before looking out the window.
It was around 3:30 p.m. when the convoy returned along the route they had come from, and there were far fewer onlookers on the road.
Zhu Xiaolin winked at Li Xuewu, his smile becoming even more bewildering.
These past few days, everyone has been hanging out together quite a bit, and they've gotten to know each other well. Zhu Xiaolin didn't act superior in front of him, and he didn't have the habit of acting inferior.
Therefore, the two got along very well, both in personal and professional matters.
Zhu Xiaolin wasn't the only one from Beijing Chemical Plant; Deputy Factory Director Bai Changmin was also there, but the other party couldn't get into this small circle.
Li Xuewu didn't want to get involved in the circle of these old men, but Zhu Xiaolin kept an eye on him and always made sure he went with them on every mission.
In fact, Li Xuewu wanted to make friends with other deputy-level cadres in the industrial system; it would be an opportunity to build more connections.
Previously, he worked in the security department and the management committee office, and his business scope was limited to the factory area. The security department probably had more contact with the local area.
If you truly follow the market and associate with whatever business you're in, you'll never be able to leave this circle for the rest of your life.
Li Xuewu's rapid career advancement and meteoric rise were not solely due to his own abilities and strength, but also to his social connections.
You tell me, every step he took, wasn't it more or less influenced by this kind of relationship?
Before he was in charge of business operations, he focused on building relationships with business leaders, such as Zhang Changming from Tianjin Aquatic Products.
He is now in Liaodong, in charge of the group's industrial enterprises, and is making good use of these relationships while also building new social connections.
Which of the companies that participated in this visit is not a leader in its system? The top executives of large enterprises such as Shougang and No. 17 Factory are all in the delegation.
Of course, that's how Chinese people are. When there are few people, it's fine, but when there are many, they automatically form cliques.
You can't explain how these small circles are formed, and no one deliberately organizes them, but they just exist.
Some say that without connections and introductions, it's impossible to integrate; this involves the issue of trust.
Just imagine, if Old Zhu and Old Li joked so freely in private, they would lose face if people talked about it in public.
What does it mean to talk behind closed doors?
Nowadays, there are no means of secretly recording audio. Just look at how many problems have arisen and how many people have gotten themselves into trouble because of recording audio and video.
Li Xuewu was drawn into this circle by Lao Zhu and others, and when he tried to make friends with other people, he was naturally rejected by those circles.
Old Li is so powerful now. In the past, he would always go up and greet the boss of Factory No. 17 whenever he saw him.
At that Guangzhou Export Commodities Fair, he would greet everyone he met and use any connections he had.
At the closing banquet, he practically handed out his business cards to everyone.
At gatherings of automotive industry companies, he always sat at the very end, addressing everyone as "Big Brother."
What now?
Li Huaide's name is no longer what it used to be. As the reputation of Hongxing Steel Group has grown, and as the industries in its steel and automotive, steel and aviation, and steel and electronics industrial parks have taken off, he has become more assertive.
Well, someone invited him to drink with them tonight, and he actually said he wanted to take care of his health and quit smoking and drinking.
Look at this, is this still the same hard-working guy from before?
If he didn't have some ability, how could he dare to refuse so readily, and how could he prevent the other party from getting angry or complaining?
“A blacksmith must be strong himself.”
After gazing out the window for a long time, Li Huaide turned around and looked at Li Xuewu, saying, "We must catch up with technological development and progress."
"Hongxing Steel Group must have a sense of responsibility. Now we learn from others, and in the future we should make them learn from us."
What the hell triggered this?
Zhu Xiaolin glanced at him and, seeing that Old Li wasn't just pretending because he didn't have the money, began to think about it seriously as well.
"Asking for help is like swallowing a three-foot sword; relying on others is like climbing to the ninth heaven."
Li Xuewu now understood Lao Li's feelings and even connected the relationship between East Germany and the Russians to more points of conflict.
Today's East Germany is no different from tomorrow's Red Star. Over-reliance on technology imports and imitation will only lead to its own downfall.
"The research institute is still okay."
In the car, Li Xuewu didn't explain things too clearly, but just hinted at it in a low voice, and Old Li already understood.
"Let's redo the budget when we get back," Old Li nodded slowly and said, "In addition to the budget, we'll set aside research funds and bonuses."
“The industrial enterprises in Liaodong can provide some support,” Li Xuewu said with great support. “A portion of the budget can also be allocated.”
Listening to their conversation, Zhu Xiaolin sighed deeply, feeling both envious and powerless.
Seeing the Hongxing Steel Group take off, with their mindset and vision, how could they not succeed?
Looking back on all these years of work, can I say I have no regrets?
He used to laugh at Lao Li for being incompetent, but now he's trying to be the top leader. He never expected that Lao Li would actually outdo him.
The more he saw the unity and progress of Hongxing Steel Group, the more he felt powerless and deeply regretful as he approached retirement.
If the organization were to give him another term, he would definitely put aside ideological competition and prejudice and focus more on the development of the enterprise.
Beijing Chemical Industry has a much stronger foundation than Hongxing Factory. If it can learn from Hongxing Factory's advanced experience, it's hard to say it can't forge a new path.
Looking at the people in the main factory's leadership team, Bai Changmin, who has relatively strong business skills, is not even one-tenth as insightful or as quick-thinking as Li Xuewu.
This disparity is the main reason why he feels so powerless.
The gap in corporate strength can be bridged, but how can the gap in management thinking be bridged?
Even if he tells the truth and goes back to tell everyone about what he saw and heard, and about the success of Hongxing Steel Group, will the people in the leadership team listen to him?
Even he himself lacked confidence. Perhaps these people would appear very cooperative on the surface, but they were simply waiting for him to retire.
These people won't broaden their horizons until they reach this point and experience the ruthlessness of international market competition.
At that moment, Zhu Xiaolin suddenly felt that he shouldn't have come to East Germany and should have given this rare and precious opportunity for enlightenment to others in the factory.
But if he could realize this, could the others in the team have thought of it?
There's a saying that goes, "Prejudice in people's hearts is like a mountain, and unfortunately, everyone has such a mountain in their hearts."
-
Leipzig is actually the name of a city.
The convoy arrived at the Leipzig Hotel at four o'clock. Old Zhu suddenly became curious about the hotel's name, so Li Xuewu explained it to him.
“You should have told me that,” Zhu Xiaolin looked at him to confirm, “It’s a city with a relatively developed chemical industry, right?”
“Yes, the local area produces lignite, so the lignite chemical industry was developed based on this.” Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, “But Leipzig has more than just a chemical industry.”
As the group followed the foreign affairs secretary toward the hall, Li Xuewu casually began to explain the regional composition of East Germany to the people around him.
"It can be described as the Berlin Rim Economic Circle. There are no provinces or cities here, only districts and cities."
He gestured in the air with his finger to indicate the approximate shape of East Germany and pointed to the locations of several major cities.
"This is also a common pattern in Europe where industrial and agricultural cities are divided."
"Their land area is too small."
Old Li saw through the mystery in a single sentence, then walked to the side with his hands in his pockets, arrogantly having no friends.
Li Xuewu also noticed that Old Li's intelligence and insight seemed to have improved this time.
"That's true. They lack strategic depth, and their industry and agriculture mainly rely on urban development to drive growth."
He nodded slowly, explaining as he walked, "Actually, you can look at it this way: the capital Berlin is the economic center of the country and the region, and together with the surrounding industrial towns, it forms the Berlin urban agglomeration."
"The central Elbe River region includes the three districts of Magdeburg, Halle, and Leipzig. It is rich in various minerals, has fertile soil, and is densely populated, making it a heavy industrial area."
"Is it developing very well now?"
Bai Changmin, who had followed, suddenly interjected and asked, "Is it the industrial system rebuilt after the war?"
"With the support of the Russians, development is progressing very quickly."
Li Xuewu turned around and said something to him, not paying attention to his sudden interruption; it was just casual conversation after all.
"The industrial output of these three regions accounts for one-third of the national total, with dominant sectors including chemicals, fuel and power, non-ferrous metallurgy, and machinery manufacturing."
He held out his palm, closing one finger after each word he spoke, leaving only one finger at the end to emphasize: "And the food industry is very developed."
"Beer and ham?"
Bai Changmin seems to have done a lot of research, but due to time constraints, he only seems to have gained a superficial understanding.
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "More than that, the combination of food and industry can give birth to a wide variety of canned products."
"Canned food is considered gourmet food?"
Li, who considers himself a food blogger, naturally looks down on canned food. His company has its own cannery, but he never eats it.
"Centered on Halle and Leipzig, the area, together with the surrounding industrial towns, forms the largest urban cluster in the country, Halle-Leipzig." Li Xuewu continued, "The Elbe River basin is an agricultural base with a very high degree of mechanization and intensification. It is the granary of the country, accounting for one-third of the country's grain production."
As he entered the hall, he emphasized one point: "The meat and dairy animal husbandry industry there is more developed, and Deputy Director Li will go there to investigate."
"The food industry?" Bai Changmin noticed the key point in Li Xuewu's previous statement. Beijing Chemical Industry also has a food industry branch.
Don't think of chemicals as synonymous with corrosion and explosion; chemicals are closely related to the food industry.
Which of the snacks from later generations can be completely unrelated to chemicals?
“The theory of cooperative agriculture.” Li Xuewu pursed his lips and explained, “This is the key point that the leaders are focusing on.”
"Even a highly developed agriculture is useless if industry doesn't develop."
Zhu Xiaolin's stance is truly upright; being part of the industrial system, he speaks for industry and doesn't think much of agricultural development.
Li Xuewu was unwilling to argue with him, and looked at Bai Changmin and said, "If you are interested, you can apply to go with us. It might be worth the trip."
"Let me think about it." Bai Changmin nodded seriously and explained, "My ideal first stop is still Rostock."
"That's fine too, it's up to you."
Li Xuewu smiled. Judging from what he said, it seemed that he had taken notice of that city.
Where do you plan to go first?
Bai Changmin, having received "guidance" from Li Xuewu, had become much closer to him, and thus asked this question directly.
"It's the Leipzig region that I just introduced."
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "There is an automobile industry there, which is our key target for investigation."
“That’s true.” Bai Changmin nodded matter-of-factly and said, “Agricultural and industrial development accounts for one-third of the entire region of Germany, so it’s definitely more worthwhile for large companies like yours to go there and seek their fortune.”
"Don't be so sentimental. Who isn't a big company?"
Li Xuewu nodded at him, then said to Zhu Xiaolin, "Director Zhu, you shouldn't underestimate yourself."
"Hahaha--"
Zhu Xiaolin was naturally all smiles. Every company that could join the delegation on this trip was a large enterprise, like Beijing Chemical.
"The automotive industry, please help us out!"
Zhu Xiaolin was the type to seize an opportunity, and when Li Xuewu beckoned to him, he joked, "Let's get rich together!"
"Don't say I wasn't prepared and that I'm just eating and drinking for free with you guys."
He pointed outside the gate and said, "We can bring back the IFA trucks that are running on the road and make a difference."
Zhu Xiaolin's ideas are in line with the mindset of this era, as can be seen from the fact that China prioritizes the development of the truck industry.
In later years, China's truck production was undoubtedly the world's leader, but it lagged behind passenger cars for many years. If it hadn't achieved a leapfrog development in the new energy vehicle sector, BBA (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi) wouldn't have lowered their prices.
No matter how good-looking the cars on the road are, can they contribute to national development?
What China lacks most right now is not passenger cars, but large trucks that can support production and industrial construction.
Old Zhu set his sights on the truck, perhaps he really had wicked intentions.
He admired the rise of Hongxing Steel Group the most. So how did Hongxing Steel Group become so successful?
Those who don't understand might say it's the hardware industry, but Old Zhu knows best that it was the automobile industry that accelerated the development of Hongxing Factory.
Back then, which unit in the city hadn't sold scrapped vehicles, and which unit hadn't bought refurbished vehicles? The Hongxing Factory made a fortune from that.
It was thanks to this initial accumulation that the steel city's automobile industry came to be today.
Beijing Chemical has a solid foundation, and its supply chain and production line technology have been thoroughly explored and matured by steel and automobile manufacturers. Why can't they manufacture cars?
We imported technology from Germany, purchased equipment from Beijing No. 2 Machinery Factory, and acquired management expertise from Hongxing Steel Group, thus joining the supply chain system.
Don't ask about sales; if we can actually produce the trucks, there will be no shortage of market demand in the country.
So what seemed like a joke was actually a long-planned scheme.
"Hehe—" Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, gesturing in the direction of Old Li, indicating that he had asked the wrong person.
Whether or not to include them in the fun is up to Lao Li.
Seeing Zhu Xiaolin looking over, Old Li proudly turned his neck and led the way into the hall.
"Hey—he's getting all cocky now!"
Zhu Xiaolin smiled and pointed at Old Li in front of him, saying to Li Xuewu, "You guys really shouldn't be hiding anything, it's useless—"
“Let me tell you—” he leaned closer and said with a smile, “Not to mention Factory No. 17, Shaanxi Automobile and Sichuan Automobile have both set their sights on Yifa trucks.”
“Your Steel Auto is a new force in the passenger car field, but you can’t compete with the fact that they are professional truck manufacturers.”
He gave a thumbs-up and raised an eyebrow, saying, "However, if steel and gas companies had an outside helper like Beijing Chemical, the situation would be different."
"So that's what you were thinking."
Li Xuewu gave a knowing thumbs-up, then asked meaningfully, "Do you know which manufacturing company they've got their eye on?"
"Yifa, what did I just say?"
Zhu Xiaolin asserted matter-of-factly, "So you weren't paying attention to what I just said?"
“Listen carefully, or I would have made a fool of myself.” Li Xuewu put his hand to his mouth and “softly” reminded him, “Yifa is not actually a car manufacturing company.”
The delegation returned from the Berlin Wall at 3:15 p.m. and arrived at the hotel at 4 p.m., with a half-hour rest period scheduled.
Zhu Xiaolin and Bai Changmin, however, set their sights on Li Xuewu and followed him back to his room.
Yes, Li Xuewu's room.
Actually, coming to Li Xuewu's place is the same as going to Zhu Xiaolin's place; Li Xuewu doesn't even trust Old Li anymore.
They were gone for more than two hours. Who dares to say that no one came into the room?
"Isn't Yifa a car manufacturing company?"
“No, that’s not it.” Hearing Bai Changmin’s surprised question, Li Xuewu said with certainty, “You can understand it this way: IFA represents a joint alliance of automobile manufacturing companies in East Germany.”
"If you still don't understand, then think about ourselves."
Li Xuewu took off his overcoat and explained, "All trucks are called Jiefang, and all jeeps are called 212."
"Oh—" Bai Changmin understood, and frowned as he asked, "Won't this cause chaos?"
“It won’t be chaotic because they have few vehicles,” Li Xuewu explained with a smile. “Generally, no more than three engineering companies will produce a particular model.”
"The IFA trucks that Director Zhu saw on the street were actually produced by the state-owned IFA joint venture automobile plant in Leipzig."
He explained to the two of them, "The IFA on the car logo is an abbreviation of the German phrase 'Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau,' which means 'Association of Automobile Manufacturers,' and is simply called IFA in Germany."
"Because the economic system here is also a planned economy, we have the IFA that we are familiar with and can understand."
Li Xuewu sat on the bed, changed out of his thick leather shoes and prepared to put on lighter, thinner leather shoes, since he wouldn't be going out that night.
"As a representative of East German automotive manufacturing, IFA has a wide range of businesses, covering the entire product line from simple bicycles to complex heavy-duty trucks."
He looked at the two of them and said with a smile, "That's the charm of a planned economy, huh? Hahaha."
What model of truck did I see?
Zhu Xiaolin had been planning this for a long time; otherwise, he wouldn't have kept asking Li Xuewu this question, and Bai Changmin was also keeping an eye on Li Xuewu.
"W50, currently the best truck in East Germany."
Li Xuewu knew what they were thinking and frankly said, "The engine is a four-cylinder direct-injection diesel engine, 125 horsepower, a five-speed gearbox, an air-over-hydraulic brake system, and the flatbed version has a load capacity of 5 tons. The main vehicle plus the trailer can carry a load of 20 tons."
He changed into his leather shoes, stood up, and stomped his feet to make his trousers even straighter and more upright, without a single wrinkle.
"This vehicle features three unique functions: three-sided tipping unloading, rear axle differential lock, and air brake. It is definitely worth paying attention to."
"You guys want to get your hands on this car too, right?"
Zhu Xiaolin looked at Li Xuewu with suspicion and distrust, like a guard dog eyeing its food bowl.
Li Xuewu nodded with amusement and said, "Of course we can't let good things slip by. Do you know how many of this car's units have been sold this year?"
He raised his eyebrows and, without waiting for the two to speculate, said directly, "At least 170,000 vehicles, and that's just an estimate."
"It could be more, but it can't be much less."
"The state-owned IFA joint venture automobile plant in Leipzig, right?"
Bai Changmin asked impatiently, "Is there a group itinerary planned this time?"
"Are you going with them?"
Li Xuewu gave him a meaningful look but didn't say anything, making Old Zhu blush for his subordinates.
Old Bai is still too kind; he's not as shrewd as that rascal Li Xuewu.
Should we go to this factory address?
He looked at Li Xuewu and asked for confirmation, "When do you plan to go?"
“You’ll never find the factory at this address,” Li Xuewu said with a wicked grin. “Didn’t you realize that this is just the official name?”
"The factory is actually called the Leipzig Ludwigfeld plant. Its predecessor was the Ludwigfeld plant built by Daimler during World War II, which was dedicated to producing engines for German bombers and fighter planes."
Li Xuewu explained frankly: "After the war, the original factory was moved away by the Russians. The remaining workers rebuilt the factory with rudimentary equipment. The factory was successfully completed in 52 and began production, mainly manufacturing marine diesel engines, machine tools and their supporting parts."
"We have now restored our ability to produce jet engines for aircraft and agricultural machinery, and have mastered advanced stamping and forging technology."
"Don't tell me you know so much about this factory. Your people have already gone there!" Zhu Xiaolin suddenly noticed Li Xuewu's confidence and asked with wide eyes, "When did this happen?"
"Hehe—just half a month ago."
Li Xuewu straightened his shirt and suit, turned around and smiled at the two of them, saying, "Experience the speed of Red Star."
***
Why is everyone eyeing the W50 truck?
Because this thing is so useful, it was only developed and produced for two or three years, and its technology is absolutely leading.
There is a vast truck market in China. As long as we introduce trucks there, we are guaranteed to make a profit. That's why everyone is eyeing this market.
However, this was not the main focus of Hongxing Steel Group's attention. The feint not only affected the two troublesome people from Beijing Chemical Industry, but also those who were eavesdropping on the other side.
Think about it, when they came back together, Lao Li clearly knew what Lao Zhu and Lao Li were planning to do, so why didn't he come in with them?
He didn't care whether Beijing Chemical Industry would seize the opportunity and obtain the technology that Hongxing Factory urgently needed, because he knew Li Xuewu didn't care.
No matter how good the truck technology is, if you take it back, you still have to set up a production line. You can't be selfish and not share the technology with other companies. What's the point of going through all that trouble to bring the technology back?
Instead of wasting time on this, we should feint and target something that no one has noticed yet.
What Li Xuewu said—that Hongxing Steel Group sent people to contact the Ludwigfeld plant within the first half month—is true.
What he didn't say was that the target of the advance contact was not the W50 truck, but jet engine technology.
"Director Li, the meeting is about to begin."
Li Xuewu knocked on the door and entered the room opposite, giving Old Li a reminder.
Li Huaide was lying in bed resting with his eyes closed. His health was not as good as before, and he had been severely depleted by alcohol and women.
After a long day of hard work, I'm feeling a bit drained.
No matter how tired I am, I have to get up and go to the meeting.
At 4:20, the delegation, represented by Deputy Director Li, will meet with the East German side.
At the same time, East Germany's industrial and trade system will also organize meetings between business leaders and representatives of the visiting delegation's industrial and trade enterprises.
Layer upon layer, if the higher-ups hold a meeting at this time, the lower-ups also have to find this time to hold their own meetings.
Li Huaide was going to attend a meeting with the trade organization, while Li Xuewu was going to meet with the group's support and service team. Sha Qizhi came to pick him up.
"I've heard that coffee can boost your energy and alertness?"
Old Li got out of bed, sighed, and had no choice but to ask this question.
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "Actually, it's similar to the effect of tea, it depends on your preference."
"Actually, drinking coffee normally is fine. As long as you don't add sugar, it's fine."
He stood in the room, watching Old Li get up, and asked, "Are you alright? Should I ask your boss for leave for you?"
"Forget it, that would make us look like a laughing stock, all old and weak."
With Liu Bin's help, Li Huaide put on a suit and said helplessly, "We don't have the right to ask for leave here."
"Sir, tea has been prepared for you."
Liu Bin then reminded him, "I've also found coffee. I can make it for you anytime you need."
"Never mind, I was just saying."
Li Huaide didn't like that stuff, and it's not like you can't find it in China; he was just desperate and grasping at straws.
"Go on with your work, we need you to handle the business."
He waved his hand at Li Xuewu and said, "Tell them that the group will not be stingy, as long as the goal can be achieved this time."
"In terms of the prize money, we have prepared enough."
Li Xuewu explained with a smile, "The 35 million in reserve funds gave them complete confidence, guaranteeing that they could complete the mission."
Anyone can spend money, the key is to spend it in the right place.
Li Huaide adjusted his tie, turned to Li Xuewu, and asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow...?"
He had only finished half of his question when Li Xuewu raised his hand to stop him.
Seeing Li Xuewu gesture towards the surrounding environment, Old Li nodded knowingly, his face showing increasing helplessness and frustration.
In this environment where you can't say anything or talk about anything, it's truly suffocating.
The living environment here is undoubtedly excellent, but he doesn't like it at all; it reminds him of his youth.
Back then, he was still an underground worker.
"Go on, don't forget you have a speech tonight." Li Huaide didn't want to say anything more, so he waved his hand, indicating that he could leave.
***
"Sir, what's the topic of your speech?"
Sha Qizhi, who was standing at the door, heard everything. Now that he saw Li Xuewu come out, the two of them went to the stairwell and asked.
Li Xuewu casually explained, "Are they all present for the banquet?"
"Everyone's here, we've been waiting for you."
Seeing that the leader didn't intend to elaborate, Sha Qizhi wisely refrained from asking any further questions.
The environment here is extremely special; there is a constant risk of being eavesdropped on, so you must be very careful in your words and actions.
They didn't book the entire sixth floor; they only booked a few rooms at the very end and thoroughly searched them inside and out.
Arriving here 20 days in advance, the accommodation costs alone must have been enormous. Heaven knows how comprehensive the preparations made by Hongxing Steel Group for this trip to East Germany were.
The biggest concern is keeping up with the pace, so apart from essential staff, everyone else is being recruited from the port city. What we need is professionalism and combat effectiveness.
Technology import and acquisition are supported by a complete system internationally; it's not something you can just casually look at and buy on a whim.
At that time, China lacked this kind of business capability, so borrowing people from the port city was the most appropriate option.
"Let me introduce you all. This is Comrade Li Xuewu, Secretary-General of the Management Committee of Hongxing Steel Group."
As Sha Qizhi accompanied Li Xuewu into the conference room, he introduced him, saying, "Secretary-General Li is also in charge of the management of the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong. He is the leader in charge of this operation. Let's give him a round of applause."
"Clap lightly, I can feel everyone's enthusiasm."
Seeing the enthusiastic applause, Li Xuewu knew the money hadn't been wasted. He smiled and waved his hand, saying, "If those foreigners hear this, they'll think we're up to something."
"Hahaha—" Everyone burst into laughter.
Li Xuewu's humor really put them at ease, since the high-intensity work environment not only brings high returns but also immense psychological pressure.
"The liaison group, logistics group, and staff group are here today," Sha Qizhi introduced. "The business group and the inspection group have all gone out."
"Yes, comrades, you've worked hard."
Li Xuewu spoke with great sincerity, smiling as he shook hands with everyone in the conference room.
Actually, there weren't many people. When we shook hands, he asked a few questions about our daily lives and inquired about our food, clothing, and accommodations here.
"Thank you for your concern, sir. We're fine." The young man, speaking with a Hong Kong accent, shook hands respectfully and said, "Except for being a bit cold."
"Is it cold in the port city too?"
Li Xuewu smiled at him and asked, "Where are you from?"
“It’s in Southeast Asia, it’s still warm where I’m from.” The young man smiled and said, “I didn’t expect Germany to be so cold.”
"Hehehe—" Li Xuewu patted his hand lightly and said, "Hearing you address me like that makes me feel like I'm in a time warp."
"Don't be shy, everyone. Call me whatever you like." He looked at everyone and said, "Qizhi has already introduced me to you. You can call me Comrade Li Xuewu, or you can call me Xuewu or Lao Li, it's all fine."
"Hahaha--"
The atmosphere at the scene definitely heated up a lot.
Calling someone "comrade" is certainly novel; for people in Hong Kong, those who use this term usually come from the mainland.
They found it novel and unusual to call him that, something they couldn't bring themselves to say, but calling him "Xue Wu" felt too presumptuous.
Of course, he wouldn't be called Old Li. Li Xuewu looks a bit intimidating, but you can still tell his age. This leader is really young.
The leader is young, but he is very experienced in his work and speech.
"Those who are in this conference room must all be comrades-in-arms."
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at everyone, saying, "When I arrived just now, Director Li from the group was saying that we shouldn't mistreat everyone and asked me to check on everyone's food and daily life here and to make sure we do a good job in logistical support."
"I'm relieved to hear everyone's satisfactory response. You need to be well-fed to have the energy to work."
He nodded and said, "This operation covered a wide area, had many targets, and was very demanding. Everyone worked really hard."
"Director Li also emphasized the issue of everyone's treatment. There's no need for you to worry about that. Hongxing Steel Group is not stingy."
Hearing the chuckles of the crowd, he spoke seriously and earnestly: "The reason why the group has come this far is because of unity and clear rewards and punishments. The group will not forget any contributors, and I can guarantee that."
"I hope you can unite as one, cooperate seamlessly, and achieve success in this operation. The group has already prepared a celebratory feast in the port city."
Li Xuewu concluded by saying, "You are the hope and the key to the group's operation. I'm entrusting this matter to you all!"
Seeing him bow slightly, everyone's faces also became more serious.
The reason Shaqi invited Li Xuewu over was to encourage and support everyone, and to have the group's leaders come and express their support.
His words carried little weight, but the group leaders' assurances would certainly be the most crucial catalyst for this operation.
In the small conference room, Li Xuewu attended a work meeting chaired by Sha Qizhi, which was mainly attended by the heads of various departments of the team.
Li Xuewu listened to the report on the progress of the operation and also made decisions and provided support on key ideas and issues.
Finally, he introduced Catherine to the Sands.
Catherine also checked into the hotel; she was there as a consultant to help Li Xuewu and his team complete key business negotiations.
In other words, in the next few days, Catherine will secretly accompany Li Xuewu to infiltrate several key industrial enterprises in East Germany to complete their target mission.
Catherine also brought her assistants and team. This wasn't unpaid; despite their "close" relationship, it was business.
Geely Star Shipbuilding's goal has always been clear: to build Yingcheng Port.
Yingcheng Port will be open to traffic in about two years, and there will definitely be a lot of international trade ships entering the port at that time.
Jili Star Shipbuilding has been operating in Yingcheng for over three years. How could they possibly give up such a lucrative opportunity?
But if Geely Star Shipbuilding really wants to get a piece of this lucrative opportunity, it has to pay a certain price.
Just look at the Santa Yonex Group; there's no such thing as a free lunch or a windfall.
How much benefit Hongxing Steel Group can gain this time will directly determine Li Xuewu's attitude towards supporting them.
Catherine placed all her bets on Li Xuewu.
Don't say that this young lady lacks knowledge and opinion. She stared at Li Xuewu from the start, but she also had other thoughts.
However, she trusted Li Xuewu more because of the connections her father had given her.
After meeting with other leaders of Hongxing Steel Group, Catherine still felt that Li Xuewu was more reliable.
She prefers Li Xuewu to maintain a close working relationship and friendship, because he is better off.
Based on shared interests, Li Xuewu has a more international perspective and a more insightful view of issues.
Working with smart people is easy; you don't have to waste any words.
Without a written agreement, Catherine had no choice but to support him unconditionally.
However, she wasn't without a backup plan; the two were in a situation where cooperation would benefit both, while separation would harm both.
If Geely Star Shipbuilding wants to develop in Yingcheng Port, it cannot do without Li Xuewu's support, and the same logic applies to other areas.
Li Xuewu needs someone "on his own" outside the group, especially in foreign trade activities.
Catherine is a smart girl. She knows what she wants. Her father won the position of family patriarch from here, and her coming to inherit it shows that her father has high hopes for her.
What can Li Xuewu give her?
If she can successfully tie the Geely Star ships to the giant ship of the Red Star Steel Group, her next step will be to own the Andrew Buyers Club.
This wasn't a promise from her father, but something Li Xuewu had told her.
If Red Star Steel Group was able to create the Andrew Buyers Club, it is equally capable of creating the Catherine Buyers Club.
Considering the benefits and influence that this name represents, Catherine would be willing to do anything for it.
Should I come to you tonight, or should you come to me?