In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

As a leading figure in Hong Kong's business community, Li Fushu knows Hong Kong's business world inside out. He understands that what Lin Haoran said is not bluffing. With Lin Haoran's strength and influence in Hong Kong, if he really wants to forcibly acquire the company, the Li family will find it difficult to resist.

Hong Kong giants like Jardine Matheson were all driven out of Hong Kong by Lin Haoran. Compared with the British consortium behind Jardine Matheson, what is the Li Peicai family?
The glory of the family has gradually shown signs of fatigue in the tide of the times.

Once upon a time, the Li Peicai family occupied a place in the Hong Kong business community thanks to its careful management of the Bank of East Asia, and was even recognized as one of the four major families in Hong Kong. What a glorious time that was.

But now, with the rapid rise of new forces, their Li family has also declined. Although they still have a certain reputation and connections in the Hong Kong business community, their former glory has become a thing of the past, and the gap between them and the emerging business conglomerates is getting bigger and bigger.

Li Fushu was still in deep thought, but Li Guobin, who was standing next to him, became more and more excited by what Lin Haoran said.

If the market value of Bank of East Asia really exceeds 10 billion, then the market value of the shares held by their Li Peicai family will be more than doubled!
This is definitely a great thing for the Li Peicai family.

As they slowly develop, even he, the president of Bank of East Asia, cannot predict when the market value of Bank of East Asia will exceed 10 billion.

Especially in the past two years, as the Governor-General's Office continued to issue operating licenses to foreign banks, Hong Kong's banking industry has become increasingly fierce. Even many local banks were forced to go bankrupt due to the reduction in market share.

Li Fushu glanced at Li Guobin who was standing beside him with an excited look on his face, and sighed inwardly.

The bait thrown by Lin Haoran seems tempting, but it actually contains a mystery.

Even in his generation, the management rights are still in the hands of their Li Peicai family, but it is still unknown whether his generation and the next generation can keep this family business.

What's more, in Li Fushu's opinion, Lin Haoran is an ambitious person. If he really succeeds, the Li Peicai family will probably lose control of the Bank of East Asia sooner or later.

Before he came here, his idea was to retain the controlling rights and then let Lin Haoran become a member of the board of directors, so that they could work together to develop the Bank of East Asia, even if the Li family had to pay some price for this.

After all, Bank of East Asia is the hard work of several generations of Li Peicai's family and the foundation of their foothold in Hong Kong's business community. It must not be easily changed hands.

But now, Lin Haoran is much stronger than he imagined.

At the beginning, the other party even wanted to acquire the Bank of East Asia in its entirety. This means that if Lin Haoran really acquired the Bank of East Asia in its entirety, then the Li family would have no relationship with the Bank of East Asia at all.

Now, even under the tough attitude of the Li family, they gave up the full acquisition, but still wanted to obtain the controlling stake of Bank of East Asia.

This made him feel like he was in a difficult situation.

Li Fushu is very clear that once he gives up the controlling stake, the Li Peicai family’s voice in Bank of East Asia will be greatly reduced and the family’s future will be full of uncertainty.

He didn't want to watch the empire built by his ancestors being handed over to others, but the reality was so cruel.

"Mr. Lin, even if you agree that the current management rights of the Bank of East Asia will belong to me, or even pass it to my son Guobin in the future, but after we father and son retire at old age, who can guarantee that the management rights of the Bank of East Asia will remain firmly in our Li family?" Li Fushu said word by word with a serious expression.

Hearing this, Lin Haoran curled up a meaningful smile.

He gently put down the teacup in his hand and looked at Li Fushu with a sharp gaze: "Mr. Li, the business world is like a battlefield, it changes rapidly, who can predict the future?
But I can assure you that as long as I, Lin Haoran, am here, the development of Bank of East Asia will not stagnate. As for management rights, we can sign a detailed agreement. As long as the Li family does not make any major mistakes in the direction of management, I can ensure that the Li family will continue to maintain its important influence on the bank for a long time in the future.

As for the future, I think you are thinking too far ahead, aren't you, Mr. Li? Who can guarantee that any family will stand forever? The Hong Kong business world is ever-changing. Today's wealthy families may become poor families tomorrow. Although I, Lin Haoran, am powerful today, I dare not say that my descendants will be able to keep this family business for generations to come.

If your younger generation is not capable enough, I can't just let the management of Bank of East Asia go to waste, right? Mr. Li, you should understand that I, Lin Haoran, am a businessman who pursues maximum profit, but I am not a person without bottom line.

If I can really join hands with the Li family, I will do my best. The common development of the Lin and Li families is the best outcome. Living in the present is the attitude that businessmen like us should have.

Instead of worrying about uncontrollable changes in the future, why don’t we work together to seize the present and push Bank of East Asia to a new height? In this way, even your grandfather, Mr. Li Peicai, will be pleased in his spirit.”

Lin Haoran's words made Li Fushu silent again.

In the negotiation with Lin Haoran, the Li family did not seem to have much advantage. At this moment, Li Guobin, who was beside Li Fushu, said, "Mr. Lin, Mr. Ma, how about we discuss it privately first? I want to talk to my dad!"

Li Fushu glanced at his son and understood that Li Guobin might have something to say to him alone.

He nodded slightly and said to Lin Haoran: "Mr. Lin, you see what Guobin said makes sense. We, father and son, do need to discuss it again. After all, this is related to the future direction of our family."

Lin Haoran nodded in understanding, stood up and said, "Of course, Mr. Li, Mr. Li, you guys take your time to discuss it, we won't bother you for now. After you finish chatting, you can ask someone to contact us at any time. We'll be waiting for you in the office!
After saying that, he took Ma Shimin out of the office, leaving Li Fushu and his son in the conference room.

As Ma Shimin closed the door of the conference room at the back, the room soon became quiet.

"Guobin, what do you want to say?" At this time, Li Fushu asked his son Li Guobin face to face.

"Dad, I think this may be an opportunity for our Li family to rise again!" Li Guobin said excitedly, "The conditions proposed by Lin Haoran are certainly risky, but the opportunities they contain are limitless.

Think about it carefully. If the market value of Bank of East Asia can really exceed 10 billion, or even higher, wouldn't our family's wealth also increase? That would be an inestimable huge fortune!
Furthermore, with the support of a business giant like Lin Haoran, Bank of East Asia will surely create new waves in the Hong Kong business community, and our Li family can also take this opportunity to restore its former prestige.

Dad, you are right. Although we are still one of the four major families in Hong Kong in name, it is just an empty name. It is the achievement fought for by our ancestors. We are fully aware of our actual situation now.

They are called the Four Great Families, but there are many Chinese families in Hong Kong with more assets than us. If we really choose the Four Great Families again, our family will never be able to have such a status again. We can no longer cling to the glory of the past, we must bravely seize this great opportunity in front of us!"

Before, when Li Guobin learned that Lin Haoran was going to acquire Bank of East Asia, he was very resistant to negotiating with Lin Haoran, and even wanted to challenge Lin Haoran to a duel.

But his father Li Fushu told him that now that their Li family was in decline, if he continued to act impulsively like this, it would be like hitting a rock with an egg and would lead to his own death.

Although the family still has some reputation and connections, in the ever-changing Hong Kong business world, without the support of strength, everything is empty talk.

A head-on confrontation with Lin Haoran would only put the family into an irretrievable situation. It would be better to listen to his conditions first and then make plans.

Li Guobin calmed down and thought about it carefully, and felt that what his father said made sense.

The family’s situation in the business world is becoming increasingly difficult. If they don’t seize this opportunity, there may really be no chance of turning things around.

"Dad, I was too impulsive before. Now that I think about it, we really can't act on impulse. Although Lin Haoran is ambitious, the cooperation plan he proposed is indeed a rare opportunity for our family.

If we can cooperate with him and use his funds and resources, there is a great chance that we can take the family's strength to a higher level, or even revive its glory." Li Guobin said sincerely.

"Although this is indeed an opportunity, the risk is too great. The controlling rights are in the hands of Lin Haoran. If he wants to take back our management rights, it will be effortless. Once that happens, we will have no say in the Bank of East Asia.

By then, we will at best be shareholders, so what's the point? How can I face your grandfather and your great-grandfather after I die?" Li Fushu sighed, his face full of worry.

"Daddy, no, no, no. This is exactly the opposite of what you said. Think about it, what is Mr. Lin Haoran's current status in the Hong Kong business community?" Li Guobin asked with a smile, his mouth corners raised.

Before coming, it was Li Fushu who persuaded Li Guobin.

Now, Li Guobin needs to persuade Li Fushu instead.

Li Fushu narrowed his eyes slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "He owns a number of businesses including Hong Kong Land Group, Hong Kong Electric Group, Hong Kong Telephone, China Gas, Kowloon Motor Bus, and Ching Chau Cement, and the cash flow in his hands is astonishingly huge.

In the Hong Kong business community, almost no one can match his strength. He is already unstoppable. Because of him, the strength of the Hong Kong Chinese financial group has completely surpassed the British financial group. Even the Huifeng Bank can't get any advantage in front of him!"

These are the realities. Even though Li Fushu has been working in the Hong Kong business world for many years and has seen all kinds of ups and downs, he has to admit that Lin Haoran's power is huge now. (End of this chapter)