A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

News of Global Shipping's registration in Hong Kong and ownership of four Liberty ships quickly spread throughout Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Guangdong.

Some say that Yu Feipeng, the former Minister of Transport, used his position to settle personal scores, which deeply hurt Chen Guangliang, hence the registration of the four Liberty ships in Hong Kong.

Some say that Chen Guangliang had already transferred his assets to Hong Kong and the United States, and registered a fleet in Hong Kong in order to avoid domestic foreign exchange audits.
Of course, some people say that Chen Guangliang was somewhat disappointed with the corruption and hedonism of the Nationalist government, so he hid in Hong Kong to keep an eye on the situation in China.

Regardless of the version of events, Chen Guangliang's actions have caused quite a stir. After all, he was once a leader of Chinese businessmen and made outstanding contributions to the War of Resistance against Japan. Now, he has been "recuperating" in Hong Kong for a year, but he has not stopped his business activities, which is quite intriguing.

Therefore, the Commander-in-Chief even invited Chen Guangliang to Nanjing, promising him high-ranking positions and generous salaries, and proposed to compensate Huanqiu Shipping; however, Chen Guangliang once again used the excuse of "recuperating" to politely decline.

However, he will continue to send his younger brother to Shanghai to show that the Chen family is not withdrawing from the mainland.

Besides the Nationalist government's efforts to win him over, Chen Guangliang naturally attracted the attention of people from the Democratic Progressive Party as well. Unfortunately, he had no interest in officialdom, so he would refuse such meetings.

Of course, some business friends also came to Hong Kong to inquire about the situation. Chen Guangliang couldn't say anything explicitly, but he did express some of his concerns—the war might spread throughout the country.

He didn't say who won or lost, but he did illustrate the seriousness of the matter. Suddenly, more and more companies started to relocate to Hong Kong. After all, Chen Guangliang had a lot of influence in the Shanghai business circle. Of course, most of them were betting on both sides, since the Nationalist government still had the upper hand.

at the same time.

The journey of Worldwide Shipping's four Liberty ships to open routes to Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America has not been without its challenges.

Some British-owned shipping companies started causing trouble, lobbying the Hong Kong government and the British Colonial Office—the captain of World Shipping was Chinese, and restrictions should be imposed.

These British shipping companies are simply trying to obstruct the rise of Worldwide Shipping Company out of fear of its emergence.

However, Chen Guangliang was no pushover. He first had Global Shipping generate a lot of buzz in the Hong Kong media – Global Shipping would be the first transoceanic voyage by an all-Chinese crew, making it of extraordinary historical significance.

(When China Merchants Group launched its transoceanic voyages, the captain was a foreigner.)
Once this news spread, the Chinese community in Hong Kong was overjoyed, and public opinion in Hong Kong rose.

Subsequently, Chen Guangliang personally communicated with the Hong Kong government and the British government (by writing letters), stating that as a local Hong Kong company, Global Shipping's four Liberty ships had crew members who were the best senior Chinese seafarers with extensive experience.
In an instant, this became a game of strategy.

Nine years ago, it was virtually impossible for a Chinese captain to think about things like the Suez Canal or docking at British ports; at the very least, the captain had to be a foreigner.

Now, China has won World War II, and China's senior seafarers have grown up. These are issues that the West must face.

While World Shipping was lobbying, the Nationalist government was also negotiating. Both sides had the same goal, but the Nationalist government had more influence.

Governor's House.

Governor Young Moqi was quite friendly when Chen Guangliang arrived and made time to receive him.

“Your Excellency, I know you are a reformist. Hong Kong is, after all, predominantly Chinese. Under British rule, Hong Kong had to face the question of how to guarantee a fair business environment for Chinese people.”

He first stated his clear opinion.

Yang Muqi agreed, saying, "That's natural. During World War II, our two countries fought side by side, which allowed me to witness the fighting spirit of the Chinese people. Today's Hong Kong has abandoned many unreasonable regulations from the past, and I believe Mr. Chen has also seen that."

His current plan includes even more radical reforms—he proposes that Hong Kong establish a city council, with two-thirds of its members elected by the people and the remaining one-third appointed. Furthermore, of the elected members, half would be directly elected by Chinese and the other half by non-Chinese. The envisioned city council would initially be responsible for managing fire services, recreational facilities, and the municipal council; in the future, if circumstances permit, it could also manage education, social welfare, public construction, and even public utilities.

This move greatly increases the rights of Chinese people to participate in politics in Hong Kong.

Chen Guangliang nodded and said, "Indeed, I saw it! I came to see His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong to offer my own perspective!"

"Speaking"

As a prominent Chinese businessman, Chan Kwong-leung has now settled in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong government has to take his influence into consideration. Fortunately, Chan Kwong-leung has always maintained a "non-official-businessman" style, which makes the Hong Kong government think this may be a good thing, attracting more investment to Hong Kong.

"With the concessions gone, Hong Kong is now facing a wave of economic development opportunities. Hong Kong's future may hold a dual promise of 'entrepot trade' and 'shipping,' especially the shipping industry, for which Hong Kong possesses a natural deep-water port. Therefore, I hope the Hong Kong government can treat British and Chinese capital fairly in the shipping industry and remove any barriers. After all, we all contribute equally to Hong Kong's economy. Moreover, Hong Kong's shipping prospects are bright; British capital can make money, and so can Chinese capital. Common development is the key to the future."

His words sought 'fairness' and did not mention anything about British capital; rather, he advocated for common development.

Regardless of who becomes the Governor of Hong Kong, their attitude will definitely be to support Chan Kwong Leong's views, since that is the mainstream opinion.

Yang Muqi not only offered his support but also generously assured him, "Mr. Chen, rest assured, we will treat everyone equally. I heard you have purchased four Liberty ships and want to open several shipping routes; the Hong Kong government will provide support."

Thank you, Your Excellency.

What he wanted was an attitude; in reality, all the procedures were legal, and the British couldn't come up with any reason to hold him back.

Chen Guangcong needed to return to Shanghai, so Chen Guangliang called him into his study.

"After you arrive in Shanghai, keep a low profile. Just show up occasionally to let us know that the Chen family is still in Shanghai, that's all."

At that time, Chen Guangliang still owned companies such as Ping An Bank and Xinfeng Textile in Shanghai, and he also had a lot of domestic business. He didn't care about these assets, but rather it was a delaying tactic to tell everyone that he was just "recuperating" in Hong Kong, and that his younger brother was representing him in Shanghai.

Of course, this is just a perfunctory response, and many people have probably already guessed some of it.

Chen Guangcong nodded and said, "I understand. I usually stay in the Ping An Bank building and hotels, occasionally attending some business events. As for those who come to test me or try to win me over, I will deal with them according to your instructions."

"Well, you're quite a capable assistant to me now, and people trust you to some extent. By the middle of next year, you probably won't need to stay in Shanghai anymore. Also, security is not to be taken lightly; be extra cautious."

Given the examples of Rong Zongjing and Rong Desheng, Chen Guangcong is still in some danger. However, at the same time, Chen Guangcong is relatively safe because Chen Guangliang's influence and network of connections have already surpassed those of the Rong family.

"Well, I'll pay attention."

Chen Guangcong wasn't worried. First, his Chen family wasn't the Rong family. The Rong family's influence was limited to flour and textiles, but the Chen family had influence in all aspects. Second, the Chen family still had some security forces and information channels in Shanghai, enough to protect his safety.

Finally, Chen Guangcong believed that if the kidnappers demanded $100 million, his elder brother would not hesitate to mobilize funds to rescue him.

"Remember to visit Mr. Du. He'll take care of the shady business, and as for the legitimate business, it's just a matter of money. At worst, things won't get too bad."

"Ok"

Chen Guangliang meant that, assuming a kidnapper successfully abducted Chen Guangcong, with Du Yuesheng's help, at least his life could be saved, it would just cost some money; if it was Bai who was in control, it would also just be a matter of money, his life would be safe. These were the worst-case scenarios, and there were precautions in place.

The kidnapping of Rong Desheng was due to a problem with the driver, but the security guards and drivers around Chen Guangcong all had their families settled in Hong Kong and supported by Chen Guangliang, so the possibility of them causing problems was very low.

The two brothers came out of the study, where the family was chatting and making a lively scene on the first floor.

The next day, Chen Guangliang arrived at a factory in Kowloon and saw that a sign had been hung up – HEHE Zipper.

"boss"

The people inside greeted Chen Guangliang.

"Manager Wang, how's the machine installation going?"

Hehe Zipper imported four 'automatic chain tooth machines (automatic rice sorting machines)' from the United States, each costing $3, for a total value of $12. Taking advantage of this Liberty cruise, they also hired an American technician to install the machines and provide technical guidance, which cost an additional $5000.

Manager Wang, who came from the management of the Xinfeng Textile system, immediately replied, "It's installed and ready to operate. This way, boss!"

Then, under the guidance of an American, two technicians started up the automatic zipper machine.

The prepared 'copper pellets' (i.e., zipper track particles) are poured into a container, and accompanied by the sound of the machine, the copper pellets are neatly nailed to the textile section.

"Bang bang."

Modern machines are a symbol of increased productivity.

What used to take a master craftsman 100 minutes to make a zipper can now be completed in less than a minute. This is a zipper for a suit trouser.

Manager Wang exclaimed in amazement, "More than 100 times more efficient, and the yield rate is far higher than that of manual labor. These American machines are truly advanced, but they're expensive!"

Chen Guangliang said with great satisfaction, "What's the problem with the price? As long as we can make it back, that's fine. Our top priority right now is to open up the market."

Wang Fei immediately said, "We already have some ideas about the market. We mainly target three markets: mainland China, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia. We will utilize Xinfeng Textile's sales network to distribute samples to these markets, and subsequently sell them in mainland China and Southeast Asia through both agency and direct sales methods."

Good products will always sell.

At that time, there were about 1000 zipper workers in Shanghai, who were about to lose their jobs.

However, we can't worry about that now; we can't just let scientific progress go unused.

"Yes, the zipper industry has a bright future. Therefore, we need to introduce 4S management from Xinfeng Textile to have a firm grasp on the quality of zipper products and open up the market in Asia as soon as possible."

"Ok"

First, make good use of these four machines to lay the foundation for the company. Further development will naturally involve gradual expansion.

As the zipper industry has grown, it has become involved in all aspects of industry, which has made a significant contribution to the diversification of Hong Kong's industries.

Today, 'Chen's Industries' has expanded to include textiles, food and beverages, and zippers, but these are not the main focus; they are just a starting point.

In September, a large number of Chinese people gathered at the Wharf docks to visit the first transoceanic voyage of a 9-ton giant ship piloted entirely by Chinese sailors.

The Gold Mountain, named after the first ship to circumnavigate the globe, will now depart from Hong Kong and arrive in San Francisco and Vancouver.

Many Chinese people came to watch the spectacle, after all, the newspapers had been promoting it for a month, and everyone was very excited.

This record was not set by a Shanghai-registered fleet, but by a Hong Kong-registered vessel, which makes it all the more exciting.

"My goodness, this ship is huge, it's like a warship."

When the ship docked at the pier, someone exclaimed in surprise.

"A 10,000-ton ship, probably even bigger than a warship."

"I think they're about the same size, but this ship is owned by Chinese people. The captain's name is Chen Guangliang. I heard he owns several Liberty ships like this, my goodness!"

"It's not surprising. Chen Guangliang has been a shipping magnate in China for a long time. I just didn't expect him to come to Hong Kong to develop the shipping industry."

"Mr. Chan is now a very prominent figure in Hong Kong's business community; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the number one figure."

Amidst the lively discussions, Chen Guangliang was also chatting with some of the invited guests. There were quite a few 'high-ranking Chinese' visiting today, including 'sirs' such as He Dong and Zhou Shoushen, as well as ship owners like Xu Aizhou, and friends from the financial sector.

He Dong added with a smile, "Mr. Chen, Hong Kong seems to lag behind Shanghai in shipping development. Aren't you worried about registering these large ships in Hong Kong?"

Many people have taken notice, as this is a very interesting question to study.

Chen Guangliang is no small figure; he is a leader in the Chinese business world. His sudden move to aggressively develop business in Hong Kong is quite puzzling. If he were worried about the war on the mainland, he could have opened a branch office in Hong Kong first. However, judging from his recent actions, Chen Guangliang is using Hong Kong as his business headquarters.

"Haha, I only look at the prospects. Hong Kong has a natural deep-water harbor and is an ideal place for transshipment trade in the Far East. I don't think I made the wrong choice."

He Dong stroked his white beard and said, "That's true. I've long heard that Mr. Chen has a good eye for talent, and I believe his eye for talent will be even better now."

Upon hearing this, everyone understood what Chen Guangliang meant—in terms of prospects, Hong Kong was better than Shanghai.

"Could it be because of the devaluation of the legal tender? Or because of the civil war?"

For a time, everyone thought so.

Although the civil war has begun, the Nationalist government holds a clear advantage, and no one could have imagined that it would soon suffer a crushing defeat, losing the country it had taken thirty years to build in just three years. (End of Chapter)