What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 320 Infernal Affairs

Tang Wen gave everyone an unexpected surprise.

Zhao Hande still suspected that he might have received an overseas education, which allowed him to blend into the atmosphere so naturally as soon as he got off the plane.

There's no melodramatic charisma or entrepreneurial flair; it's just simple, direct, and straightforward.

I am Tang Wen, I am very rich, and I want to give you money.

When the old American woke up the next day, the newspapers and news showed him as a playboy traveling with blonde women, the kind who obviously had seven or eight lovers.

His demeanor and unrestrained attire perfectly embody the rebellious style of today's young Americans, completely contradicting any image they might have envisioned.

If today were April Fool's Day, this would look more like a prank by some Chinese-American high school students in the community.

People won't fawn over a greasy and gloomy middle-aged business elite, but they will definitely be curious about a dissolute young tycoon who looks like a scandal-making machine.

Coupled with his extravagant declaration of spending 10 billion US dollars, Tang Wen's popularity skyrocketed the moment he woke up.

However, to maintain the mystery, Tang Wen still planned to fly to St. Louis immediately and find Zhao Hande alone before that:
"Some of my next actions may be controversial, but they are for the sake of long-term development."

Zhao Hande nodded blankly, vaguely sensing that things were going to go beyond his expectations.

Once they left the hotel's restricted area, the number of media and onlookers on both sides was so large it was almost explosive.

Tang Wen also rolled down the window without hesitation and waved wildly outside like a big star.

……

McDonnell Douglas's headquarters is very close to Washington, D.C., just a two-hour flight away.

"You are very different from what I imagined, Tang."

Robert found it hard to reconcile the young man in front of him with the image of a business tycoon.

He had just learned that Tang Wen had enthusiastically taken photos with passersby at the airport and bought some fries at McDonald's, which didn't seem like he was there to discuss a big deal that could shake up the local aviation industry.

However, Tang Wen's single sentence made him feel the heavy reality:

"Sorry, you know what? I just discovered a problem:"
I arrived in St. Louis on a Boeing 737.

Robert and Levi, who was acting as the translator, both froze on their faces.

Moreover, Tang Wen was relentless:

"Most of the passenger planes I saw were Boeing; only the cargo planes and a very small number of passenger planes were McDonnell Douglas."

Tang Wen, who seemed young and easily fooled, instantly became repulsive.

Levi had to explain:
"Well, there are many flights in the US, maybe it just happened to be a coincidence when you saw it."

Tang Wen didn't press the issue further; he didn't fly over just to insult Mai Dao.

"The competition here is fierce and brutal, but at the University of Tokyo, none of that matters."

In 1995, our civil aviation passenger volume exceeded 5000 million. This is a figure for a country with a population of 12 billion. The constraint was not poverty, but the number of passenger aircraft.

"To date, there are only about 740 passenger planes operating domestically. Do you know what that means?"

Robert got serious:
"This is far from enough. Even though most people are poor, this does not even meet one-tenth of the travel demand, and many of your passenger planes are very outdated."

Tang Wen: "Yes, many planes from the 60s and 70s could not even carry 100 passengers. They were fuel-inefficient and unsafe. There were at most 300 passenger planes in service nationwide until after 2000."

Over the next 20 years, we will need to add at least 200 short-haul regional aircraft and more than 50 large ocean-going aircraft every year to meet the requirements.

More importantly, for at least the next 5 to 10 years, this many aircraft can only be imported or assembled domestically.

These figures are not boasts, but rather concrete predictions of the future, and Tang Wen believes that McDonnell Douglas and Boeing have also made numerous similar predictions that can be considered valid.

Robert nodded, but then asked:
"But your market is very resistant to foreign products, and the Civil Aviation Administration now prefers to order Airbus aircraft. What if they change their minds in the future?"

He understood that Tang Wen was using the huge market to lure him in, but he couldn't refuse to take the bait.

The domestic civil aviation market is now entirely controlled by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). If the CAAC says it will not buy MD or Boeing, Robert has no way to do anything about it.

Hearing the question, Tang Wen chuckled and asked in return:

Why did the Civil Aviation Administration choose Airbus?

"Because of interference from other human factors, it is permissible to refuse."

He answered to himself, then whispered like a demon:
"However, if Geiger and McDonnell Douglas work together to produce 'domestic aircraft,' then the Civil Aviation Administration must have a certain quota to order domestic aircraft every year."

Even if the engines, avionics, landing gear, and even many airframe components of this passenger aircraft are sourced from abroad, it will still gain acceptance as long as it is assembled and rolled off the production line domestically.

Robert: "So even if it is disrupted, this process cannot be interrupted, at least not until you have fully mastered all the technology."

Tang Wen spread his hands and asked, "How long do you think this process will take? It doesn't matter, don't worry about my feelings."

"Ten years, maybe eight years sooner, but it could be delayed even longer." Robert was actually being rather tactful; building passenger planes is entirely a matter of industrial systems, and ten years is already an optimistic figure.

Tang Wen: "During this period, all the aircraft assembled and copied by Gadkins needed McDonnell Douglas's help. How much money could it bring to the US and create? How many jobs could it create?"

"..."

Robert and Levi's expressions changed, and their gazes toward Tang Wen became different.

Dark, truly Motherf**ker's dark side!

This is a blatant invitation to them to make money under the guise of domestically produced passenger aircraft, using this project as a springboard to continuously extract funds.

现在是盖金付出30亿美元，但未来10年国内民航至少20%、甚至30%、40%的份额都会摊派给盖金的客机，能赚多少钱？
This is no capable industrialist at all; he's clearly an unprecedented, ultimate shrewd businessman, a super-corrupt real estate agent in disguise!

Others might want to accept bribes worth millions or tens of millions, but this guy is going to use his reputation to leech off others for over a decade, or is he going to openly leech off others while being praised?
Forget about finding a way to localize it; they might even rack their brains to sabotage the progress!

Beside Tang Wen, Zhao Hande's heart also tightened:
Right in front of him, Tang Wen demonstrated another possibility for the MD11 project: reverse phishing.

If Geijin lacks the ability to digest the core technologies, and is deliberately misled, the seemingly promising large passenger aircraft project will become a drag on the entire domestic industry.

If the MD11 cannot be localized for a long time, it will not only rely on imported components for a long time, but will also occupy the resources of subsequent independent projects.

If such a scene were to actually occur... those who pushed MD11 would all be sinners in history.

Meeting Robert and Reeves' gazes, he also gave a mysterious smile, which was naturally interpreted as collusion.

……

A certain manor.

"Tang, you will definitely become our best friend!"

After talking with Robert, the latter, without even bothering to tour the estate, quickly took him to a manor for celebrities to relax in.

When several Michigan legislators, led by Courtney, heard Tang Wen's idea, they couldn't help but applaud and praise him.

That's shameless, so childish, so...good!
I was initially worried that Gaijin really wanted to import the technology, but now it seems that was completely unnecessary.

Tang Wen not only looks like a playboy, but he is also a ruthless businessman who preys on people without spitting out the bones. He has no lofty ideals or sentiments whatsoever.

Courtney couldn't help but glance at Zhao Hande beside her, who surprisingly didn't react at all, but instead smiled and nodded:

"Tang Wen is a very important partner of ours. As long as the domestic large passenger aircraft project is implemented and the technology and production lines are indeed introduced, we will take on all the production capacity for the sake of domestic civil aviation."

The lawmakers were even more convinced that this was a massive deception orchestrated by both insiders and outsiders.

Even if you bribed everyone at the top and bottom, the Civil Aviation Administration couldn't possibly acquire all the aircraft in such a large quantity. But thanks to Tang Wen and Zhao Hande's micromanagement, it became a necessary task.

Congressman Courtney immediately extended an invitation:
"There will be a gala tonight attended by celebrities, many of whom are tycoons in the aerospace industry. Please make sure you attend."

Tang Wen readily agreed: "Of course, Mr. Congressman, do you know that I only have a high school education in China? I wonder if it would be possible to obtain a degree in the United States through an introduction?"

"Of course! I can get you into Michigan State University with a letter of recommendation—you don't even have to be there, and then you can spend a little money to pursue a few doctoral degrees at other universities."

Courtney agreed without hesitation and enrolled through his recommendation letter, which was a testament to their close personal relationship.

Other members of parliament were immediately envious, as this meant Courtney would receive substantial financial support from Gaijin.

Someone immediately spoke up:

"Tang, my nephew owns a very good auto parts company. Do you need any?"

"Construction machinery, I can provide contact information for construction machinery."

"Does Dongda University have internet access? I have some connections at Cisco..."

Upon hearing the name Cisco, Tang Wen's eyes lit up. Just as he was about to locate the source of the voice, he discovered that someone else was also eyeing him:

“Chai Na Tang, I have a 17-year-old granddaughter. She’s a cheerleader, in basketball games.”

Such blatant bawdy jokes made the atmosphere even more lively. The councilors and celebrities discovered Tang Wen's "disgusting true colors" and instead clung to him enthusiastically. A large crowd also gathered around Zhao Hande.

Old Zhao wasn't as adept at handling things as Tang Wen, but he was utterly shocked.

In just a few years, the current situation will undergo a dramatic reversal.

To sabotage and delay domestic production?
Tang Wen can even leak your core secrets at will. All the celebrities who are closely associated with him will suffer!

"Zhao, is there anything you need?"

Noticing the celebrities crowding around, Zhao Hande was about to refuse but stopped himself, deliberately examining the furnishings of the manor villa:
"Hmm, the appliances here are all very good, it's a pity that they can't be bought in China."

“It’s a minor issue, Zhao. It’s just a tiny, insignificant part of our problem.”

(End of this chapter)