I'm reborn and I'm an international student again?

“Let’s discuss the ABCD issue first. Their idea is for us conglomerates to cooperate against you. Of course, no one wants to do that, since it would mean losing the interests of all the major corporations.” Jim Carrey took a sip of coffee and steered the conversation back on track.

"Well... I've been thinking carefully about what you said earlier." Chen Xi looked earnestly at everyone present. "Regarding your leaders, you natives certainly know more about them than I, a foreigner. Everyone should have noticed that over the years, several leaders have been imprisoned for various reasons, which is unique in the world. South Korea was once extremely poor, even worse off than the North, yet it has developed from poverty into a developed country in just a few decades. Like Australia, South Korea has followed a path of survival between major powers. In other words, the goal of each leader is very clear. Whether in the North or the South, they all want to achieve unification, but this is something that the major powers absolutely do not want to see. Although they were all eventually imprisoned, the country has become better and better. Therefore, if you want your group to avoid being led by the nose by the United States, the only way is to learn this strategy."

In fact, no matter who comes to power, they will be replaced in a few years, because people who can become leaders are not stupid. Who would risk the whole country for the so-called American daddy?

"I don't quite understand what you mean. Our major groups have businesses all over the world, and we're already on a globalized path. What new tricks could we possibly come up with?" Xin Yourong asked, puzzled.

"Like island nations, South Korea's strongest industry right now is semiconductors! You hold an absolute dominant position in the two core memory chip markets: DRAM and NAND Flash. This year, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix together hold over 80% of the global DRAM market share, and NAND..." Flash memory also exceeds 50%. This market concentration means you have extremely strong pricing power and industry influence. Semiconductors are your largest export product, accounting for about 20% of total exports. Currently, the world is in the peak period of smartphone upgrades and data center construction, with strong demand for memory chips. But don't forget, Japan's semiconductor industry was once world-leading. In the 1970s and 80s, they rapidly occupied the market with their manufacturing processes, quality control, and low costs, reaching a global market share of over 50% by the mid-80s, and even as high as 80% in the DRAM field, far surpassing the United States. Japan's success triggered strong panic and retaliation from the United States, followed by the famous US-China Semiconductor Agreement and political suppression and trade war. You have all seen the fate of Japan, and South Korea's current situation is exactly the same as theirs back then! What I mean is, with these market shares and technologies in your hands, you will be dealt with sooner or later. You might as well cooperate with companies from other countries as soon as possible..." Chen Xi became more and more engrossed in his speech, while the others frowned as they listened.

After a long pause, Cui Zhongsheng finally spoke: "The cooperation you mentioned, are you referring to your side? As far as I know, although China is developing rapidly, it doesn't seem to have many things that we need and that we can offer ourselves."

Everyone's smart enough to understand Chen Xi's intentions. He wanted them to cooperate with Chinese companies, even his own. But cooperation required capital, and aside from cheap labor and preferential treatment for foreign investment, the other side didn't seem to have much to offer. In fact, these South Korean conglomerates already had branches in China, mostly production lines.

"Not competitive enough?" Chen Xi rolled his eyes and continued, "Take Samsung screens for example. They used to be number one in the world, and they still are. But our Huajing Electronics' screens are already number two in the world. From quality to cost, our overall competitiveness far surpasses Samsung's, and we've captured a large share of the global market. In other words, we could very well surpass Samsung in a few years. And then there are photovoltaic inverters. Sunlight Energy Group's market share and technology are already among the world's best... What I mean is, the two sides can definitely cooperate, especially with those newly established but high-potential companies. Take semiconductors, which you're best at, for example. Our Xinlu has Changxing Memory, which directly competes with Samsung and SK Hynix. Although it's just starting out, surpassing them in technology and market share is our goal for the next few years. If you're willing, you can definitely come and investigate. Of course, there's also my lithium battery factory, drone production base..." Chen Xi casually threw out bait.

Since lithium prices skyrocketed, he has revealed his battery factory to Jim Carrey. Choi Jong-sung is particularly interested in lithium batteries and drones, as his rocket and other projects require them.

Upon hearing this, the people present exchanged glances, clearly tempted. They were well aware of the rapid development of their neighbor's technology industry, and Cui Zhongsheng's words were merely a bargaining tactic. If they didn't cooperate, they might be completely surpassed in a decade or so. Cooperating now would not only allow them to make a profit but also circumvent American sanctions.

“I will relay your words to the group's senior management. As for Kim Nana… I think it will most likely work out, since my parents weren't very accepting of her to begin with.” After a long silence, Choi Jong-saeng finally spoke. Although his tone was calm, his eyes betrayed his resentment.

"How about... you punch me to vent your anger?" Chen Xi grinned and approached the sullen Cui Zhongsheng.

"Cough, I really don't know how Kim Nana could have fallen for you... To be honest, you give me a bit of a scoundrel impression. Are all rich people in your country like this?" Choi Jong-saeng coughed lightly and glared at him.

"Sigh, what can I do? My dad's a complete scoundrel, so it's only natural that he'd have a little scoundrel like me." Chen Xi shrugged.

A few days later, at a hotel in Seoul.

Four white men sat on the sofa, their eyes glued to the video recording on the television screen.

In the scene, a fat man with messy blond hair and a red tie is speaking eloquently on stage:

"Thank you! Thank you! It's so crowded. It's amazing. How are you all?"

Listen, I just read a report, a really, really bad one. It was written by those so-called experts. They said…yes, you know, those white things that make cars move. The price is outrageously high, like a rocket!
So, I have a very, very clever plan. The best plan that no one has ever thought of.

Those crybaby farmers—I mean, those wonderful farmers, I love farmers!—they've been taking huge subsidies for decades, haven't they? Some people sit around doing nothing and get checks. Is that fair? No, it's not!
So, we need to make some adjustments. A small, beautiful adjustment. We need to take a tiny fraction of the wasted agricultural subsidies—just a tiny fraction!—and use it to subsidize our great American new energy vehicle industry! Like Tesla! Yes, Musk, that genius, sometimes a little eccentric, but truly a genius! We want American roads filled with the hum of electric engines, not the stench of foreign oil!

Will this achieve our climate goals? Absolutely! Those Europeans love it. But more importantly, it will keep America number one! We have to beat that country on batteries! We have to win!
This will be the greatest energy transition in American history. Thank you! God bless America, and bless our electric cars!

After the video finished playing, Hooknose pressed the remote control, and the screen switched to an interview with Musk.

Reporter: Mr. Musk, what are your thoughts on the former leader's proposal to cut agricultural subsidies to support new energy vehicles?
Musk: A very interesting proposal.

Reporter: So you think this is a good idea?

Musk: From a physics and economics perspective, this aligns with first principles. Agricultural technology is already highly advanced, but a radical revolution in transportation energy is key to humanity's future. Allocating resources to cutting-edge technology is wise. Mr. Musk sees this.

Reporter: But farmers might strongly object.

Musk: Revolutionary change always faces resistance. Maybe we could offer extra subsidies for farmers to electrify their pickup trucks, like the Cybertruck? Anyway, I support anything that accelerates sustainable energy development. Now, I have to go back to tuning Starship. Goodbye!
The video pauses.

"What on earth is this fatso doing? One minute he's raising oil prices, the next he's cutting agricultural subsidies. Good heavens! Shouldn't the price increase of lithium ore mean he should abandon electric vehicles? Why doesn't he think like a normal person?" The hook-nosed man angrily threw down the remote control.

To be honest, TeKaoPu's actions surprised everyone, even Chen Xi. Not only did foreigners not understand them, but even Americans were baffled.

In the short term, cuts to agricultural subsidies will lead to lower farmer incomes, reduced resilience to risks, and discouraged production and investment. In the long term, reduced investment in agricultural infrastructure and research will weaken the industry's competitiveness. Either way, this will provoke strong opposition from state legislators specializing in agriculture, and the budget proposal will face significant resistance in Congress.

However, without even consulting with the authorities, Trump publicly announced his intention to cut subsidies. Whether or not this is ultimately achieved, it has already had a significant impact on the four major grain traders. They are highly dependent on a stable global trading environment and are currently engaged in a grain and oil war with Chen Xi. If their backyard catches fire, their business in other countries will also be affected.

"What should we do now?" asked the only woman among the four.

"That Chinese guy has already sent us a list of conditions. Although it's an exorbitant demand, headquarters has basically agreed. Because of Trump's questionable tactics, negotiations can't drag on any longer, otherwise it will be extremely disadvantageous for us. We must finalize the agreement as soon as possible before he sees the news," the hook-nosed man said with a stern face.

The other three did not object, and the headquarters of all four companies had issued the same instruction. America, the most reliable office.

The blond, overweight man leisurely sipped his cola, scoffing at the insults he received from netizens on social media.

No one understood his actions, but he knew that only in this way could he save the weakened America.

The subsidies will flow to the entire industry chain, including battery manufacturing and lithium mining, which will help establish a more complete and larger-scale supply chain in the United States, thereby reducing Tesla's production costs.

The policy will inevitably be accompanied by subsidies for infrastructure such as charging networks, which will greatly alleviate consumers' range anxiety, clear obstacles for the popularization of electric vehicles, and indirectly provide convenience for Tesla users.

With strong government support, the new energy industry will gain a first-mover advantage over Europe and island nations. Tesla can further consolidate its global dominance by leveraging its technological leadership and favorable local policies.

Because Tesla will soon be building a factory in Shanghai. Once established, it will foster a large number of high-quality Chinese parts suppliers. These suppliers will rapidly improve their technological capabilities to meet Tesla's standards. In the future, Tesla will not only be able to source high-quality, low-cost parts from China for its Shanghai factory, but will also be able to integrate Chinese suppliers into its supply chain systems at its US and Berlin factories, reducing global production costs.

Ultimately, this is a contest between two superpowers in the field of new energy. Asian giants are making a full-fledged push, while the United States must seize leadership in key areas such as next-generation automotive industry, battery technology, artificial intelligence, and autonomous driving—these are crucial to national competitiveness for decades to come.

Of course, Trump also has his own agenda. The Republican Party has traditionally maintained close ties with oil and agricultural interest groups. By supporting new energy sources, he can build a new alliance of interests tied to Silicon Valley tech giants and emerging capital, expanding his power base. His relationship with Musk may thus become closer, gaining him public support from this influential entrepreneur. After all, he is a businessman by background and urgently needs strong allies upon taking office.

"Knock knock." There was a knock on the office door, and a subordinate walked in with several documents: "Boss, these are messages from the governor of the agricultural state... but some of them aren't very pleasant..."

The reliable guy took the document, laughing as he read it: "Oh, it's all insults directed at me."

Agricultural states are his core voting blocs, and cutting subsidies would undoubtedly betray his base, triggering a strong backlash and causing him to lose crucial support. But Trump isn't worried; he's only focused on doing what he believes is right. As for whether he can be re-elected, that's a matter for later.

Just as Elon Musk was reviewing the documents, the office door opened, and Musk walked in smiling, giving him a big hug. It was clear the two had a very close relationship.

Since his election, Trump has invited many business leaders to join his strategy and policy forum and manufacturing jobs initiative, and Musk is one of them.

Musk joined the initiative hoping to advise the government on key issues such as climate change and energy policy. He believes that exerting influence from within is far more effective than criticizing from the outside.

"Why aren't you dealing with those reporters? What are you doing here?" the reliable person asked directly after sitting down.

Musk is extremely popular online these days, and netizens in a certain Asian country even regard him as a god, taking the opportunity to mock their own technology companies for only making games and lending money, to the point that the saying "the end of technology is lending" once became popular online.

It must be said that this internet celebrity entrepreneur's influence is truly astonishing. Not only ordinary people, but even chaebol heirs like Cui Zhongsheng have been deeply influenced, otherwise they wouldn't be so persistent in their so-called space dream.

However, Chen Xi was not optimistic about this space dream. South Korea has limited land area, scarce resources, and a unique geographical location. Constantly testing and launching rockets would inevitably make its northern neighbors nervous, and they might even resort to nuclear deterrence.

“You’re a really unpredictable person,” Musk said as he sat down, opened a can of Coke, and took a sip. “You used to publicly mock electric cars, saying they would never replace gasoline cars, but now you’re supporting me. It’s really interesting.”

Trump's upcoming Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will significantly reduce corporate taxes, which is highly beneficial to large companies like Tesla, further strengthening the relationship between the two. This comes despite Trump's previous sarcastic remarks about new energy vehicles on social media.

"I want people to be confused. Even you can't figure me out, so ordinary people will think I'm some kind of clown spouting nonsense in front of the camera every day. But that doesn't matter, as long as my business and America's direction develop according to my plan." Trump waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm here today to talk about something. I investigated the source of the lithium price surge and found it's related to a battery manufacturer. Interestingly, this company was originally an American enterprise, later acquired by an Australian company, and then its battery technology was brought to China, where it collaborated with local automakers on research and development and production," Musk said eloquently.

"I already knew all this. Did you think the American intelligence agencies were just sitting around doing nothing?" Trump rolled his eyes.

Musk smiled sheepishly: "Don't you think this company has great potential? They're involved in everything from new energy vehicle batteries to drones and various other industries. If we can get their technology, Tesla's electric cars will be unmatched."

"You want me to use government channels to help you get this technology?"

“No, no, I’m a businessman, not a politician. I’ll acquire the technology in my own way. I came here today to tell you this good news… Wait a minute… We can talk about this another day…” Musk finished speaking, answered a phone call, and then said goodbye and left. He still had to negotiate the relevant terms for the Shanghai factory.

"Boss, he's building a new factory in Shanghai, and he'll definitely be giving away advanced technology for free, maybe even making some private deals. They're experts at imitation and copying. Aren't you worried that their car companies will surpass us?" After Musk left, a subordinate couldn't help but ask.

"Hmph, no need to worry about that. If he dares to cause trouble, I have plenty of ways to deal with him." The reliable man stroked his chin confidently. Although he was once a businessman, he was now a politician, so he naturally had many ways to manipulate an entrepreneur.

A room in a hotel in Seoul.

Chen Xi was sitting in a chair smoking, while Jin Nana sat on the edge of the bed with her head down, her long legs swinging unconsciously, clearly preoccupied.

(A category 17 typhoon is coming, I'm hiding in the hotel... all the planes have been grounded...) (End of Chapter)