My Lord, you need to stand up!

Chapter 997 Light and True Knowledge

Di Kun was also astonished by the grand vision of laying the "North American fiber optic trunk" drawn up by Wei Dong.

I think we're being too hasty.

“We haven’t even laid the fiber optic cable from Sha Tin to the TV station yet, let alone conducted long-distance cross-city and cross-state testing…”

Wei Dong simply asked, "Do you want fiber optic cables to cover Citibank, Asia, and eventually the whole world?"

Di Kun glanced at him and said, "I am willing to dedicate all my efforts to the prosperity of China, so that you will not have to test or examine me."

They sat on a bench on the Yale campus.

This statement prompted Wei Dong to speak frankly and openly.

He has always been this candid, even now standing on American soil: "Okay, when I heard Steve make this suggestion, my first thought was, could this be a new industrial revolution, a new internet industry revolution? Could it cause the mainland to fall behind, leading to another round of oppression and plunder? Would you and I then be sinners in history?"

Visibly, Di Kun's typical STEM professor face began to twitch and furrow: "Really?"

Let Wei Dong present the facts: "Steve told me that the military initially pushed for the establishment of a network between several universities, and then the National Science Foundation of Citibank just pushed the NSF network to connect more than 100 universities and some experts. The transmission rate of 56K is just a trickle of water from a small pipe. If it were replaced with fiber optics, it would become a raging flood."

In fact, what followed was a fact he already knew.

But Dikun thought he was referring to Steve's prediction: "I use this NSF network at Yale, and it's very convenient. That's why I wanted to lease satellite lines first to connect Hong Kong to universities in Citibank, and establish a connection with the modern civilization system. But I really didn't expect you to be so radical as to immediately invest in the construction of the North American trunk line, because in my opinion, although the current transmission rate is not high, there are still relatively few things that can be done on this network."

He is a scientist who, in an era when everyone used metal as the wire to transmit data, combined glass fiber and laser to transmit digital data.

Being able to make groundbreaking technological innovations does not mean that he understands commercial applications.

Moreover, the digital wave of music and video hasn't even started yet.

Internet applications are completely nonexistent.

The main purpose of building the network is to meet the library's shared information access function and to test its national defense and political applications.

Citibank's overall scientific research level is now the best in the world, but in terms of practical application, Japan still does the best job in civilian use.

They specifically source various advanced technologies from Citibank, then tweak and adapt them for use in home appliances; this has become a path dependency.

This allows Wei Dong to understand, and he also understands, the sense of belonging to a civilization that these scientists have gained in Europe and America through opportunities for in-depth study and research, enabling them to achieve personal academic advancement.

They completely ignored that topic and went straight to describing the software company's strategy: "Two years ago, we developed Kungfu Software, which ultimately generated $120 million in pre-tax revenue. From last year to now, our software revenue has been around $400 million. This year, we're planning to launch an even richer software trial model. For example, you can easily create any software you want, record any data from your experiments, and put it on our website to sell. The website will then share the profits with you. Wouldn't that instantly inspire countless people to get involved in software programming, stimulate the rapid development of this industry, and also urgently require faster and wider network backbones?"

Even though computers were still in their infancy, there were already tens of millions of various devices in North America.

Connecting these computers into a network would indeed be a huge and promising prospect.

Without even trying, Di Kun's eyes immediately lit up with a clear longing: "That's great! This will definitely inspire more people to join the computer network, and it will surely connect the world with the internet sooner. Will this harm China?"

The scenery here is consistent throughout, with classic British-style stone buildings full of history and tranquility.

It was a time of great peace and tranquility.

Wei Dong nodded: "If we fall behind, we will be attacked. I started taking over some of the third-line electronics research institutes in 1985. To put it simply, I moved the electronics factories and research units in the coastal areas back to the deep mountains in the southwest region in the 1960s. This was to ensure that if the country were to break out in an external war, there would be no more chaotic relocation of people in the interior like during the War of Resistance Against Japan. The inland areas are places where people tend to be more strategic and far-sighted."

Di Kun listened very attentively.

Rang Weidong explained why he got involved with these research institutes: "I'm not an official. That factory used to make optical lenses. I approached them and we developed a cheap camera that cost a few dollars. This allowed me to make money from the factory and also revitalized this semi-military factory that had almost lost all its orders. So later, I took over many factories like this one after another. They disassembled Apple Model II computers in the deep mountains and made integrated circuits by hand-welding, all in order to develop their own computers that could calculate the equipment for atomic and hydrogen bombs. At least it ensured that the country is becoming more and more stable and better. Even though there is a big gap, countless people are working hard to catch up."

He then pointed to the beautiful scenery around him and said, "I have no political intentions to persuade or turn you. I am a legitimate businessman in Hong Kong. It's just that I always have a line in my heart that I can't let that land suffer the humiliation of the past one or two hundred years. So I always weigh the things I do overseas to see if they will hurt those who are trying their best to catch up, whether they will widen the gap or help us develop in sync. That's why I came to discuss with you how we can do better."

Dikun looked around following his finger: "I didn't go to university here, but I really like the atmosphere. There's a saying in Citibank's education sector: 'Princeton's board of directors is in charge, Harvard's president is in charge, and Yale's professors are in charge.' I hope to bring the Chinese University of Hong Kong to that level of humanities and cultivate more outstanding Chinese scholars, regardless of their major."

Wei Dong nodded in agreement: "I just started a vocational college in Shangzhou, at the mouth of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The goal is to cultivate a large number of practical talents in various fields such as civil engineering, bioengineering, business sales, and shipbuilding. I will try to use the professor-led approach you mentioned to train this institution. However, many of our students are poor and have weak foundations. Let's help them acquire a skill first so they can live a decent life." He was very realistic in this regard, unlike Xiong Guoming, who was always looking for more than he had.

Di Kun smiled: "Then I can send scholars to you for exchanges. I agree with your idea of ​​helping people from all walks of life change their fate. Yale's idea is to 'gather the best talents in the world and cultivate and treat them well.' I believe you can do it too."

Wei Dong's eyes lit up: "That's very well said. I can work towards that goal."

The sudden realization of the significance of education is perhaps even more profound than poverty alleviation in mountainous areas.

In Jiangzhou, Rang Weidong might face various restrictions, but in Shangzhou, given his strong public support and industrial scale, he would definitely have a lot of say over that industrial technical school.

Previously, he really just thought that since bioengineering plants and shipyards already have a lot of personnel training, conducting it under the name of a school would have a better effect.

But it was only after being reminded of this at a prestigious international university that Wei Dong suddenly realized what was happening.

Besides the mainland universities that are working hard to promote, this existing industrial vocational school can be developed into a model for privately-run colleges.

Given its current situation in the West District, it wouldn't be impossible to establish another university, the West District University, adjacent to Shenzhen University.

When I drove here from Boston, the idea of ​​investing in and establishing a university started to take root in my mind.

Now that I've made up my mind, I don't even care much about the work at hand anymore.

Di Kun could see the drastic change in his expression, which revealed an inquiring look.

Wei Dong was eager to go back: "Do you think it's possible for the Chinese University of Hong Kong to set up a branch campus in Pengzhen, in the Western District? Of course, it doesn't matter if it's not possible. I just don't want to waste a moment and give more young people the opportunity to learn and explore as soon as possible."

Dikun laughed even harder: "I will do my best to help you try this. I will definitely return to Hong Kong in half a month. It's almost summer vacation, so I can talk to the school board. I can also find an opportunity to go back to the mainland. I haven't been back to my hometown of Shanghai yet."

Wei Dong nodded: "Then it's settled. I'll go back and make preparations immediately. The Citibank fiber optic backbone project definitely has a preparation and demonstration process. I think it should be delayed a little, maybe one or two years. That is, around the time we have laid fiber optic cables of different distances in Hong Kong and can use them to demonstrate the results, before we consider the engineering costs of laying the Citibank backbone. I think... we should try our best to license this technology patent to this company to ensure that the progress of this project is at least somewhat controllable."

I wonder if the scientists understood the implication here: "I think there are very few people who can see this kind of commercial foresight. I promise you that I will do my best to ensure that this fiber optic technology can be put into use on both sides simultaneously. Light and truth are the directions that science points to for mankind."

Wei Dong felt he had achieved his goal and waved goodbye, saying, "Then I'll go back to Hong Kong first and wait for good news."

Di Kun nodded deeply: "I heard from Apple that their product launch is in about twenty days. Even your most important business profit-making project can't compare to your eagerness to start a university. I really admire that."

Wei Dong disagreed: "Steve is a top-notch sales expert. When a product has the ability to dominate the market, he can definitely achieve excellent sales results. Whether I am here or not will not affect the income. On the contrary, I find this software company that he hopes to take public a bit troublesome. Let's just consider it as increasing the income of those software developers in the mainland. I have great respect for those backbones who persist in scientific research under extremely difficult conditions."

Di Kun said happily, "I hope I'll have the opportunity to visit them."

Of course, that's no problem.

Wei Dong was asked to give Gui Zhenfei a few instructions, as he planned to screen various switch-related technologies with Di Kun's assistance.

We will select the technologies that best suit the current domestic situation, acquire them, and put them into production.

Isn't this the same approach used in Japan? Just have Wei Dong keep in touch with the boss's wife to get the funds approved, and leave $100,000 here as operating expenses.

He quickly flew back to Los Angeles, even foregoing Qin Yuye's plan to stop by New York, a couple hundred kilometers away, for some shopping.

I'm so eager to go home.

It's still the most convenient way to go, even if you go through New York International Airport.

Just then, He Yuzhu arrived in Los Angeles with his men and asked Wei Dong to hand over the task of listing the software company to him so he could participate and learn.

Xiong Guoming even directly demanded to form a team to run the financial dungeon.

(End of this chapter)