A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

In August, four massive ships weighing tens of thousands of tons sailed into Victoria Harbour, and those in the know recognized them as the 'Liberty Ships' that made great contributions during World War II, which surprised many.

"Could it be the fleet of Jardine Matheson or Swire?"

"No, the ship says 'Golden Gamma' on the hull, and there are Chinese characters on it. It doesn't seem like Jardine Matheson or Swire."

“That makes sense, but if it's a foreign fleet, it shouldn't have Chinese on it. Could it be a ship from the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company? I heard they also bought 10 Liberty ships?”

"Why would China Merchants Group name a ship 'Golden Something'? It looks more like a ship from Worldwide Shipping."

"Global Shipping? Isn't that Mr. Chen Guangliang's shipping company? My goodness, he was a shipping magnate in the early days of the Chinese community. I never expected him to make a triumphant return, but I wonder why he doesn't go back to Shanghai?"

"I don't know either. I heard that the Nationalist government offered him a high-ranking position and generous salary, but he declined them all!"

For a time, Hong Kong's business community was abuzz with discussion, but Chen Guangliang's capabilities were undoubtedly on full display.

To be honest, it's not unusual for wealthy people from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai to seek refuge in Hong Kong; but only Chen Guangliang has managed to be so high-profile in Hong Kong.

Even when Du Yuesheng came to Hong Kong, there was no news of any major actions he took.

On the contrary, after Chen Guangliang came to Hong Kong, Ping An Bank's influence among local Chinese-funded banks is second only to Bank of East Asia; Cheung Kong Properties is also acquiring land and old buildings in Hong Kong and carrying out large-scale civil engineering projects; Global Shipping has now bought four Liberty ships in one go, with a total tonnage of 5 tons; in terms of industry, Sun Fung Textile is still the largest textile factory in Hong Kong, and Vitasoy also has some brand recognition.

At the Wharf docks, Chen Guangliang, along with Chen Guangcong, Zhao Tieyi, Wu Hao, and others, were inspecting the unloading of cargo.

At this moment, the people from Global Trade were busy taking inventory of the goods. This time, Jack had acquired quite a few good items from the U.S. War Supplies Management Office.

"Mr. Chen, Manager Wu, the goods from Global Trade have been inventoried, totaling: 1 military helmets, 50 Dodge trucks, 100 military jeeps, 5000 tons of rice, 500 tons of flour, and cotton. All goods have been moved into the warehouse and designated storage areas."

Although the management present knew that the order was substantial, they were still quite worried.

Chen Guangliang smiled and said, "Everyone should have confidence. Besides, most of the goods only require an initial investment of 30%, and the remaining funds can be paid in installments."

This time, Global Trade really pulled off a big deal, requiring many times the amount of funds the company needed. However, Jack, as the middleman, handled the procedures on the US side and also guaranteed the phased payments.

What global trade needs to do is sell these goods, and the profits in this process are enormous.

Wu Hao then said, “Dodge trucks are a good product. Now that the domestic war has started, opening factories in Hong Kong may become a trend, and these trucks may be consumed locally within two years. Although military jeeps are not as comfortable, they are cheap and are also a good product. We can sell them not only in Hong Kong, but also in Guangzhou and Shanghai.”

Global trade is on track, and we have a great deal of control over trade in various cities.

Chen Guangliang said, "So, as long as it's a good product, there's never a shortage of market. The biggest problem is that we couldn't have acquired these goods without our connections with the United States."

Jack has grown up over the years and is now able to handle these aspects. Of course, he was originally a Wall Street elite. He made a lot of money from this collaboration on these goods, and it was a sure thing with no risk involved.

At this moment, Chen Guangcong said, "Shanghai is also short of rice, and with Global Trade's position in Hong Kong's food supply, it won't be difficult to sell rice and flour."

Wu Hao nodded and added, "After all, agriculture across the country has not yet recovered."

At this moment, Chen Guangliang said, "I heard that Japan is currently facing a severe food shortage. Although there is aid from the United States, food is still extremely scarce."

Everyone was astonished. How could Chinese people be doing business with Japan just one year after the war ended?
Chen Guangliang added, "Now that Japan has been defeated, and we can make money off them, why should we continue to avoid contact? Moreover, Japan is currently occupied by the United States. Given its geographical location and strategic importance, the United States may support it in the future to control the Far East and thus guard against the Soviet Union. In summary, we need to engage with Japan."

Everyone took note of this strategic vision, as bosses always have a long-term perspective.

Wu Hao then said, "But Japan is very poor right now and relies entirely on aid, so our normal trade may not be feasible!"

Zhao Tieyi added, "I've heard that the situation in Japan is even worse than in China, but of course they deserve what they got."

The general consensus is that the Japanese can't afford to pay.

Chen Guangliang said, "We need steel. After the war, Japan's weapons became scrap metal, so there should be a lot of that. Right now, China is short of steel, so we can exchange grain for steel in Japan and then sell the steel back to China, especially in Shanghai."

Everyone's eyes lit up; this trade map immediately opened up new possibilities.

“Boss, this is a great idea. We’ll send people to Japan as soon as possible to set up an office.”

The goods imported by Global Trade this time amounted to several times its own capital. If it weren't for installment payments and the backing of Ping An Bank, most people wouldn't dare to buy like this.

At this time, the surplus supplies in the United States were quite cheap, and even if Jack made a profit, they were still quite cheap. As for food, it was also cheaper than in Vietnam and other regions. The only problem was that transportation was not an option, but this time the transportation cost was extremely low, with only fuel and insurance costs.

Wu Hao continued, "Are these 1 helmets intended for military use and sold to the Nationalist government?"

This was what puzzled him the most, and the others also looked at Chen Guangliang.

"Put your brains to work and see what this military helmet looks like and what it can be used for, but it certainly can't be sold as military supplies, the Nationalist government doesn't have much money."

Upon hearing this, everyone racked their brains.

Chen Guangcong said, "Military helmets look like washbasins or vegetable basins, but they can be modified slightly!"

Everyone's eyes lit up, and they realized Chen Guangliang's brilliance.

“Brilliant! With a slight modification, it will become a high-end American product, and there will be no shortage of buyers.”

"That's right."

There are many poor people in this era, but that doesn't mean there are few rich people. There are quite a few rich people in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Chen Guangliang said with a smile, "Otherwise, what would we do with them? We could turn them into washbasins and sell them as high-end products. After all, their lifespan and hygiene make them the best choice."

Plastics existed in this era, but they had not yet been developed in the Far East, and there was a large market for steel basins.

The goods imported from the United States this time were all approved by Chen Guangliang. Today, Global Trade lives up to the name "Global," with a team of over a hundred people, all of whom are trade experts, so many of their goods have channels to be sold.

Global Trade has many warehouses and parking lots in Hong Kong, and since these goods are sold on an installment basis, many items can be sold gradually without much urgency.

Lam Ko-kei is a manager at Global Trading’s Hong Kong headquarters, where he is primarily responsible for the food business in Hong Kong.

Since Global Trade began working to supply food to the Hong Kong government last year, it has gradually become a major food supplier in Hong Kong. Especially after the end of military rule, Global Trade occupies a large share in Hong Kong's food supply chain.

A so-called grain supplier naturally has grain import channels overseas, and after importing grains, it needs to have 'grain warehouses' in port. Finally, it establishes cooperative relationships with various retailers and grain stores.

"Manager Lin, Dachang Trading has snatched several of our grain stores again. I went to inquire, and they said the prices are about the same, but since they're all from Guangdong, they give priority to Dachang Trading. They also said that Dachang Trading has the backing of Hang Seng Bank and can postpone payment. Do you think we should raise the prices a bit more and try to negotiate?"

An employee approached Lin Gaoji and reported the situation.

Upon hearing this, Lin Gaoji chuckled and said, "That's strange. Dachang Trading doesn't have its own shipping company, so they certainly don't have our advantage in terms of freight costs. Yet they've taken the initiative. It seems that Dachang Trading really wants a share of the grain supply."

Currently, Global Trading is the undisputed main grain supplier in Hong Kong, holding a significant market share among Chinese-owned trading companies. Of course, British-owned companies also have a share, as trade is one of their strengths.

The employee asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

The boss seems very confident; is he already quite certain of success?
Without sufficient advantages, global trade may not be able to compete with the 'brotherhood' of fellow countrymen, as most of the grain shops in Hong Kong are run by Cantonese people.

Global Trade was able to seize the market immediately mainly because they established a trade network and had grain reserves on hand from the start. Lin Gaoji said, "Our company imported thousands of tons of high-quality rice from the United States. The quality is better, and the price is more competitive than that from Southeast Asia. Since Dachang Trading Company wants to gain a larger share, we won't let them have their way. Let's have a meeting and discuss specific measures!"

"Ok"

Originally, Chen Guangliang had considered saving on shipping costs and reducing expenses when importing a large quantity of goods this time.

Foods like rice and flour are in short supply across the Far East, so there's no worry about finding a market for them. As for cotton, it's even more scarce, and Hong Kong doesn't produce cotton either.

Global trade has many advantages, including having shipping companies as backers (cheaper freight rates), numerous warehouses (mostly owned by Ping An Bank), and a more comprehensive trade network. These are enough to make fellow countrymen turn against each other, after all, sometimes the benefits are greater.

Global Trade quickly devised preferential grain supply measures to stabilize the supply chain while further dividing up the market share of British and other Chinese merchants.

"Boss Qin, this is premium American rice, and we're offering it to you at the same price as Annam rice. You should know who you should be doing business with, right?" Lin Gaoji said with a smile as he found a grain store.

Mr. Qin, the owner of seven grain and oil stores, picked up a handful of American rice and exclaimed, "How come everything from America is better than other countries'!"

After World War II, "American goods" became synonymous with high-end products.

Lin Gaoji laughed and said, "There's a reason why they're so powerful. One atomic bomb scared Japan, and two atomic bombs made Japan surrender obediently. Don't you think American products are amazing?"

When it comes to this, all Chinese people share the same feeling—it's awesome!

Just like when the United States entered the war against Japan, the happiest people were China, followed by Japan (for propaganda purposes).

Mr. Qin then said, "Okay, since Global Shipping provides high-quality American rice, we'll continue to source from you in the future. But can you afford the funds?"

The implication is clear: they also hope for more conveniences, such as installment payments.

Lin Gaoji said, "We'll offer the same terms as everyone else, since we trust Boss Qin's capabilities. Also, you should continue to purchase rice from Annam from us, as well as these other items."

"No problem. Dachang Trading Company's strength is still a bit lacking. I have more faith in Global Trading."

Take it easily.

In fact, Lam Ko-kei is also from Guangdong, but he is also a long-time employee. He joined Jinshan Shipping back in the Guangzhou Bay days.

However, in Global Trade, there is no distinction between Shanghainese and Cantonese residents. Everyone has the same advantage. We will arrange the most suitable positions and people from all over the country. In addition, the investment of employees such as Lin Gaoji is also based on seniority and position.

Dah Chong Trading Company's venture was unsuccessful from the start. Several of their most promising trading businesses were already being handled by Global Trading. Although they could still make money, they were merely picking up scraps by following in others' footsteps.

Seeing that the situation regarding Hong Kong's food supply had taken a new turn, Ho Sin-hang, Ho Tim, Leung Kau-kui, and others gathered together to discuss the matter.

"They're involved in tung oil, grain, steel, industrial raw materials, and pharmaceuticals. This global trading company has quite the ambition!"

Global Trade has already opened a tung oil factory in Changde, producing its own tung oil and then shipping it to Hong Kong for entrepot trade.

He Shanheng said, “I heard that Global Trade has taken advantage of Global Shipping’s order of four Liberty ships from the United States to import a large number of American goods. They are very wealthy and powerful, which is something that our Dachang Trading Company cannot compare with. But let’s not forget that what Global Trade can do, we can also do. As long as we are united, we will have the same strength one day.”

He knew the gap in strength, but he was very confident in continuing to operate the business.

Liang Qiuju immediately said, "Shanheng is right. We are currently dealing in tung oil and grain, so next we can also deal in steel, industrial raw materials, and pharmaceuticals. In short, we will do whatever makes money. Comparatively speaking, we also have rich trading experience. Strength is not absolute, and we can develop in the future."

Soon, everyone's confidence returned. Ultimately, it all came down to product diversification. It didn't matter if we couldn't compete with global trade; the key was to make money and build up our strength.

He Shanheng continued, "This time, Global Trade is importing so many goods, they need very strong warehouses and security capabilities. In addition, we should try our best to negotiate for the rice trade."

Everyone was shocked, because He Shanheng's idea was to spread the news that Global Trade's warehouse was "in danger" in order to deplete Global Trade's resources.

This step is a bit shady!

However, the business world is like a battlefield; they were just releasing a message, not actually engaging in any illegal activities.

"Okay, let's do it this way!"

Various rumors suddenly appeared in Hong Kong.

"Have you heard? Global Trade imported several thousand tons of American rice, and it's in warehouse XX."

"Damn it, so much rice and they still let us go hungry, they're really heartless rich people."

"With so much rice in this warehouse, isn't it easy for thieves to steal it?"

In response to these rumors, Global Trade reacted quickly, first by increasing the protection level of its warehouses, second by establishing a cooperation mechanism with the police department, and third by making charitable donations.

The first two were already planned this way; this is just an reinforcement of those plans.

As for the second one, it was just a matter of convenience, and the cost was negligible.

afterwards.

Chen Guangliang called Lin Feng over and said, "You need to do more work on the security company's affairs. We can't let them put us in a passive position!"

Lin Feng said confidently, "Boss, don't worry. We've been operating in Hong Kong for many years. We're familiar with both the legal and illegal worlds. Plus, we're all well-trained, so security isn't an issue."

Chen Guangliang nodded and then said, "Later, I plan to establish the 'Ningbo Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong'. Under the name of the Chamber of Commerce, we may support some legitimate and illegitimate businesses. Even Tom, Dick, and Harry can be useful."

Given his social standing in Hong Kong, he naturally wasn't afraid of any Tom, Dick, or Harry. However, there were some things he couldn't do himself and needed others to do. So he established the Ningbo Chamber of Commerce and promoted some people, both legitimate and illegitimate, in the name of the Chamber of Commerce. These later became known as the "Ningbo Gang."

To be honest, Chen Guangliang doesn't really have much ambition for the position of president of the Ningbo Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong; he prefers to work behind the scenes.

We'll see how things go then!
Then Lin Feng said, "Boss, Zhou Xinggao's children are having a tough time right now."

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangliang fell into deep thought. Zhou Xinggao had become a traitor during the isolated island period, gaining increasing importance as he went, but ultimately losing his life because of it. When the Kuomintang agents attempted to assassinate him, Lin Feng in Shanghai had also participated in the operation, which could be considered as dealing with a traitor.

However, Zhou Xinggao, Chen Guangliang, and Lin Feng were brothers who went through thick and thin together back then. Now that his descendants are in trouble, should they still remember their old friendship?

Zhou Xinggao's eldest son, Chen Guangliang, has grown up in the public eye and is now sixteen or seventeen years old.

Finally, Chen Guangliang said, "Give us another settlement fee, enough for the children to live on when they reach adulthood. I promised you all that if you followed me, I would support your families for life. Although Zhou Xinggao rebelled, our cooperative relationship is still a fact."

Why has his security company never had any 'traitors'? You know, there have been traitors among the people around Rong Zongjing and Rong Desheng. The main reason is that Chen Guangliang is good at winning people over and keeping them on his side.

“Okay, I will have the Shanghai Stock Exchange pay them in installments. This way, they won’t be robbed, and they won’t be allowed to leave the Shanghai Stock Exchange.”

Chen Guangliang didn't say anything, but simply gestured for Lin Feng to do it.

Raymond Lam is worried that if people come to Hong Kong, they might become enemies in the future.

In fact, there's no need for that.

Of course, Lin Feng's caution was not without merit, after all, Lin Feng had played a part in Zhou Xinggao's death. (End of Chapter)