What do you mean by quitting the business? I'm not a big shot.

Chapter 637 Removal of Titles
Theoretically, there's only one way to prevent capital flight: administrative restrictions combined with legal constraints. The later case of Li Ka-shing selling the port and fleeing demonstrates how administrative power could freeze the transaction. However, before 97, Hong Kong's domestic administrative power was weak and unable to restrict capital flight. The only option was to entice Hong Kong capital to stay by opening up the domestic market and offering more political benefits.

But don't be fooled. Capital may be inhumane, but it is controlled by people, just as capital may be borderless, but people do have national boundaries. Capital may alienate people, but ultimately it is people who manage it.

As long as Li Jiacheng can be kept here, the Li family's capital can be preserved. The cleanest and most efficient way is to make Li Jiacheng disappear!
Yin Zhaotang remained silent for a long time before deciding to take it slow. Without sufficient reason, eliminating Li Jiacheng would only exacerbate the panic in the capital market.

Shi Zhanpeng was summoned to the big boss's office again. He looked cautious and bowed, asking, "Boss, is there something you need me to do?"

Yin Zhaotang said, "Tell the foundation to secretly acquire shares of Hong Kong Electric and Hutchison Whampoa, so that Li Jiacheng doesn't get away easily."

Transferring a sum of hundreds of billions of dollars is no easy task. Even if Cheung Kong's assets are of high quality, finding a buyer and negotiating the share price will take at least two to three years.

The first batch of people who fled overseas definitely had cash, amounting to several billion. To escape at a suitable price, they would likely have to keep selling until it reached 97%.

Imagine the social damage caused by the largest capital group in Hong Kong selling off assets year after year for ten years. Shi Zhanpeng, not understanding his meaning, looked puzzled and said, "Boss, acquiring Hong Kong Electric would cost more than five billion. The group already owns CLP Power, and the acquisition will definitely trigger an anti-monopoly investigation. It's impossible for it to succeed."

“Hutchison Whampoa’s market value exceeds 10 billion, but the foundation’s accounts do not have enough money.”

Yin Zhaotang said, "We don't need to exceed 30%. We won't initiate any acquisitions. We'll clear out the goods on the market first."

Upon hearing this, Shi Zhanpeng understood and replied, "Understood, boss."

By projecting an aggressive buying spree and an apparent intention to acquire assets, they are actually manipulating the stock price to force Li Jiacheng to reveal his true intentions. Whether he genuinely wants to flee or is using this as a pretext to exert pressure on the mainland, a test will soon reveal the answer.

If Li Ka-shing is indeed planning to flee, then Yin Chao-tang will need to join forces with patriotic capital to aggressively acquire Hong Kong Electric and Wharf Holdings, thus taking over the Li family's two major businesses. This would serve two purposes: first, to boost confidence in Hong Kong's capital markets, and second, to force Li Ka-shing to quickly sell off his assets, denying him any prolonged opportunity to do so.

Combined with administrative pressure and legal investigations, they will gradually destroy Cheung Kong's stock price. Meanwhile, Li Ka-shing must understand the market potential of mainland China; leaving the mainland is tantamount to taking a loss, and being forced to flee will incur further losses. Let's see if Li Ka-shing can withstand the pressure from both sides!

If Li Jiacheng hesitates even slightly, it will delay his emergence and give the capital market time to react.

Yin Zhaotang sipped his cigar and said coldly, "Trying to intimidate me? I'll force you to your death first and see who can hold out!"

The market opened the following day.

The stockbrokers at Chung Yee Fund received instructions and began a buying spree. Cheung Kong Holdings' subsidiaries, Hong Kong Electric and Hutchison Whampoa, displayed astonishing momentum.

"All in!"

"Buy it, don't ask the price."

"Call all the major exchanges to inquire about prices. As long as they're willing to sell Cheung Kong's shares, the price is negotiable," Shi Zhanpeng, dressed in a white shirt, roared in the trading office.

Stock market investors aren't stupid. Without any positive news or improved performance, the stock price keeps rising in a strange way. There's only one possibility—capital accumulation and open market acquisition!

It's common for Cheung Kong to acquire foreign firms, but few people acquire Cheung Kong itself. This news caused a stir in the capital markets, attracting many investors who speculated on Cheung Kong shares, hoping to make a quick profit.

Hong Kong Electric and Wharf Holdings are not small conglomerates; their market capitalizations are all over 5 billion. Such a massive acquisition is the largest in the past five years.

No brainpower is needed; a few short-term trades can easily net a share of the profits. Large institutions can't hide their fund movements, especially since Zhongyi Group has no intention of keeping a low profile. News of Zhongyi Group's acquisition of Hong Kong Electric and Wharf Holdings quickly reached the hands of various business owners.

Li Zekai handed a report to his father, who had just finished the morning meeting, and said, "There are people buying up Hong Kong Electric and Wharf Holdings shares on the market."

"Through financial investigation, it has been determined that it was Zhongyi Group that was making the acquisition."

Li Jiacheng took off his glasses, picked up the report, and said with disdain, "How much money does Zhongyi Group have to dream of buying Cheung Kong's shares?"

"Announcement of a share buyback plan: Tomorrow morning, Cheung Kong will repurchase 20 million shares of HK Electric and 25 million shares of Hutchison Whampoa at a price one cent higher than the market price."

Admiration flashed in Li Zekai's eyes, and he said seriously, "Understood, I'll take care of it."

A single share buyback program could thwart the takeover bid for Shenxiantang. Seeing Cheung Kong's deep pockets and willingness to accept the entire offer, shareholders would likely hold onto their shares and refrain from selling.

Shi Zhanpeng knocked on the office door and said, "Boss, Cheung Kong Holdings has announced a share buyback plan, Hutchison Whampoa shares rose by 18 cents, and HK Electric shares rose by 7 cents!"

A share buyback program can stabilize the stock price, encourage it to rise, and reduce trading volume. However, the buyback program is limited in scale and will not cause an unwarranted surge in price.

After all, the shareholders will have to foot the bill for any amount exceeding the repurchase limit. Yin Zhaotang, without changing his expression, held the remote control and looked at the television, saying, "Let's look at the news, the just-announced announcement."

Shi Zhanpeng turned around and saw the Guangdong provincial TV channel, looking slightly surprised. The channel was broadcasting a resolution to remove Li Jiacheng from his position as a returning committee member.

He was startled at the sight, then overjoyed, and exclaimed, "Cheung Kong's stock price is about to fall!"

"Get to work." Yin Zhaotang said casually, but Shi Zhanpeng felt a surge of admiration: "Understood, boss."

The mainland broadcast the news discreetly, but the big bosses in Hong Kong will likely know almost immediately. TVB and ATV will broadcast the news by noon at the latest. At that time, Cheung Kong's stock price, which had just started to rise, will certainly plummet.

If the fund operates well and successfully exits at the top, it can then accumulate shares at the bottom, allowing it to buy more stocks at the lowest price.

New World Tower.

Zheng Yutong looked at the news with a panicked expression: "Li Sheng's title has been revoked?"

Sun Hung Kai Building.

Guo Desheng turned off the TV with a stern face. In the air-conditioned room, he was already sweating profusely.

The political undertones of dismissing someone from their post are so strong that even someone who hasn't read much knows that the Li family has been made a target!
None of the committee leaders had ever imagined that their newly appointed positions could be revoked. With the news released, everyone understood: fighting was acceptable, running away wasn't; losing was acceptable, but refusing to accept defeat was not!
Giving you a chance to fight is a way of hoping you'll lose convincingly.

At Cheung Kong headquarters, Li Jiacheng slammed the remote control onto the television and shouted, "Fine, black and white, the whole world unite against me!"

(End of this chapter)