Return to Hong Kong Island for a Century

Chapter 423 Untitled
Today, the main leaders held another meeting with leaders of other departments. Before the main leaders even arrived at their destination, the arguments in the meeting room could be heard.

"I think we should focus on shipbuilding technology. The hull construction technology is excellent. With the current boom in imports and exports, we need a lot of shipping vessels. With these technologies, we can not only improve the manufacturing technology of civilian ships, but also apply it to military ships."

"My suggestion is radar technology, phased array radar, active phased array radar."

"Radar is not feasible for now. The core of radar technology lies in its hardware, semiconductors, and algorithms. We can only achieve significant development once our chips are developed."

"Remote sensing technology is the best..."

"The new generation of chemical technologies, especially ethylene, polyester fiber, etc."

"Automated mining equipment—we need a lot of minerals right now. Power plants need coal, steel mills need iron ore..."

The leaders of the various departments were arguing loudly.

After the main leader came in, instead of stopping, everyone asked him, "Old leader, we in the mining industry are also doing this for exports..."

"We build ships for export..."

"Remote sensing technology is used to observe the weather on Earth, for forest fire prevention..."

The top leader was at his wit's end. He sat down, took a sip of strong tea, and then pulled out a cigarette, saying, "How many times has this happened?"

"Still making noise?"

Upon hearing this, the department leaders below argued even more fiercely.

It's not just about various research projects abroad; acquiring these technologies is only the first step. What's needed more is subsequent support, namely funding.

For example, shipbuilding technology requires funding for research and development, and then what about technology experiments and applications? Those also require a large sum of money.

Satellite remote sensing technology involves much more than just technology; it includes building and launching satellites, subsequent applications, and the construction of various ground facilities.

Which technology doesn't require massive financial support in the future?

Everyone wanted it after seeing the catalog. In the 60s and 70s, China had to beg and plead to import technology, and they had to adopt a very humble attitude.

However, many things are not sold by others even at high prices.

Some people say, "If you don't want to sell, then don't sell."

Anyway, I already have it?
Why ask for help? Why would someone buy out obsolete technology at a high price?

For a country, backwardness invites aggression, as modern history demonstrates. Our nation was built with the blood of so many of our predecessors.

Even if the living are bullied or forced to humble themselves, they must do everything they can to catch up with their opponents technically.

Looking back at history, imagine a powerful figure standing on tiptoe aboard an American aircraft carrier. Did those behind him feel a pang of sadness? Compare that to the expressions of the American soldiers. What were their feelings and circumstances?
What is it to strap a tank to a warship and fire it?
This is precisely because of technological backwardness; we were forced into this situation and became a laughingstock.

Therefore, leaders of this era sometimes feel angry and helpless when dealing with foreign affairs. Historically, when buying outdated technology from others, there were many other additional conditions and high prices required.

Who wants to be taken advantage of?

Won't people laugh at you for being a sucker?
But there's no other way; we have to develop.

If the country wants to develop, what about the people? Of course, they also want to live a good life.

Therefore, leaders sometimes face much more difficult challenges than ordinary people.

With so many new technologies at our fingertips, it's no wonder everyone is anxious.

“Let’s take it one by one and discuss it one by one.” The leader lit a cigarette and continued.

"We'll produce a result today. As everyone knows, the domestic situation is that while import and export volumes are large, domestic investment pressure is also significant."

"If all else fails, we'll draw lots," the leader suggested.

Li Song brought various new technologies, including smelting, chemical engineering, home appliances, machinery, and textiles.

These technologies require investment to be applied.

Technology applications and commodity exports require raw materials, so if upstream companies want to increase production, they also need equipment, technology, and investment.

Producing goods requires electricity, as well as transportation, and so on.

Therefore, in the initial stage, the domestic financial pressure was enormous.

Fortunately, exports also boomed, bringing in a steady stream of foreign exchange, which could be used to purchase food and raw materials in exchange for exported goods, greatly alleviating the pressure.

However, for some new technologies, we still have to continue investing in research and development.

"Why don't we ask Li Song?" a department leader suggested.

Everyone gets a little nervous when it comes to drawing lots. What if you don't get a winning lot?
How do people in the department view themselves?
Getting advice from Li Song is different; even if you don't get it, you still have something to say.

"Alright then." The top leader agreed with this suggestion.

Because I also felt that all the items in the directory were important.

Nothing is unimportant when it comes to matters concerning people's livelihoods, military affairs, and so on.

Li Song, who was in Shanghai, had no idea that his superiors would ask him to make suggestions.

It was already dark when Li Song returned to Shanghai, and Zhu Ling had already gone home.

"You're back." Zhu Ling greeted Li Song at the door upon hearing the car.

"Oh, you're off work too?"

"Yes, filming starts tomorrow."

"Then we need to go to the Three Kingdoms Film City first," Zhu Ling said as she took the bag from Li Song's hand.

“I’ll come see you there later. I just got back from Wuxi today,” Li Song said, with one arm around Zhu Ling’s waist.

"Ah."

"Mr. Li." Li Song entered the house. There was a nanny, a driver, and a doorman at home.

All of them were women. The nanny, Wang Hongmei, was in her early twenties and from Suzhou. She used to be a cook at a guesthouse and was a graduate of a culinary school. The driver, Zhang Xiaoyun, was from Shandong and was 25 years old. She was a bodyguard and used to serve in a military unit in Beijing. The gatekeeper was a woman in her fifties named Xu Qin. She was a local from Shanghai and had come to Shanghai from Yancheng with her parents. She used to work at a guesthouse, but recently retired and let her child take over, so she came here to guard the gate.

"Mm." Li Song nodded and released his arm from Zhu Ling's.

Zhu Ling looked at the things Li Song had brought; it was a pair of shoes he had brought for her.

"You don't need to buy me shoes anymore, I already have enough," Zhu Ling said.

“This is the new model,” Li Song said.

With other people at home, Li Song couldn't be too unrestrained. But he couldn't do it alone; it was unrealistic to clean such a large house by himself.

Zhu Ling also needs a driver and bodyguards, even though many people in society have gone to work in factories and educated youth have returned to the city.

Moreover, due to new technologies and increased exports, educated youth who married in the countryside could bring their wives and children back to the countryside, register their household registration, and arrange employment.

Even if his wife wasn't very educated, there were still many positions available in the factory.

However, there are still some people from well-off families who are unwilling to work in factories and wander around in society.

In addition, many factories are unwilling to hire those with poor character.

Don't be afraid of anything, just be afraid of ten thousand.

Moreover, with the reform and opening up, population mobility has increased, leading to many people taking risks.

Because there are always some people who come to big cities without wanting to work their way up, hoping to get rich quick. At that time, there wasn't much surveillance or monitoring, so there were many major cases in the 1990s. For various reasons, being a taxi driver was even considered a high-risk profession for a period of time.

Because taxi drivers were the most profitable at that time, earning a lot of cash every day, taxi drivers later modified their vehicles to include many protective measures, such as separating the driver and passenger seats and separating the driver's seat from the rear.

If Li Song weren't worried about Zhu Ling having too many people around her, he would have liked to bring in more people.

Moreover, at that time, the management of firearms and ammunition was not very strict, and of course, the management of explosives in mines was also not very strict. They even used bombs to rob armored trucks.

It's fair to say that at that time, almost every household in some rural areas had firearms and ammunition.

In most rural areas, each village has a considerable number of firearms and similar items.

While watching the news that evening, Zhu Ling saw that the House of Representatives had passed a new aviation safety bill and that the stock prices of companies like Boeing, GE, and Pratt & Whitney had surged. She then asked in a low voice, "Will this affect you?"

"It won't have much of an impact. Our plane hasn't been finalized or put into mass production yet." Li Song knew that Amei's focus was currently on Fat Bear.

As for Boeing and automobiles, it's mostly just infighting among Aramco capitalists.

Although he has a certain degree of fame, Li Song is well aware that his influence is not that great yet.

At this stage, and for a long time to come, only the American capitalists can deal with them.

Of course, decades later, only certain countries in the East will be affected.

"And what about the car?" Zhu Ling asked with concern.

"It's nothing serious!"

"At worst, we just won't sell to Amei!" Li Song was confident enough before doing these things.

Whether it's cars or airplanes, the domestic market is already a guaranteed base.

No one knew better than Li Song how fast China was developing, how many airplanes and cars were needed.

Historically, foreign capital has profited from airplanes and automobiles.

Just like with automobiles, when foreign automobile companies were introduced, the leaders had a good plan: to exchange market access for technology.

But what about the actual implementation?
After foreign investment came in, it cultivated a group of people who benefited from the status quo.

These people haven't developed any technology at all; instead, they've helped foreigners exploit the Chinese people.

Later, as private car companies emerged, these joint venture car manufacturers finally lowered their high-end status.

Without private car manufacturers, these joint venture cars would still be high-end and unattainable.

Of course, the same applies to imported cars!
Before private car companies developed, whether it was a joint venture car or an imported car, you had to act like a pushover if you wanted to buy one.

Not only do you have to pay extra, but you also have to buy all sorts of things from them, otherwise they won't sell to you.

Regardless of whether it was airplanes or cars, or what happened abroad, Li Song remained completely calm.

Because the domestic market potential is much greater than imagined.

"Okay then, I won't worry anymore." Zhu Ling sometimes gets a little worried when she sees things in the newspaper or on the news.

"You don't need to worry about me here!"

"Do you like the cars outside?" Li Song didn't talk about these things.

"I do like it."

"But there's no way to drive it out!" Zhu Ling has signed an endorsement contract with BMW!

BMW not only paid them money, but also provided them with a car.

Of course, BMW doesn't just provide cars to the actors who endorse its products.

The relevant authorities should also provide this information.

After all, you still need to be tactful and considerate when doing things in the country.

"You'll get used to it eventually!" Li Song knew perfectly well why they couldn't drive it out.

BMW has a very limited supply of cars. In Shanghai, only government departments have a limited number of cars, and the leaders who can ride in these cars are not ordinary leaders.

If Zhu Ling were to drive it out, it would definitely attract attention.

Driving a sedan now is no less valuable than driving a Rolls-Royce decades later.

"Actually, Boeing's stock price and Boeing's affairs don't have much to do with me. It's all about their capital maneuvering. They represent two groups: the manufacturing group and the financial group..." Li Song put his arm around Zhu Ling and gave a brief account of the Boeing situation.

Li Song was also aware that the domestic stock market was also crazy in 1990.

"Uh!" This was the first time Zhu Ling had heard that there was such a complicated relationship behind this matter.

"Hehe, that's right!" Li Song chuckled.

Men love to show off in front of beautiful women!

Although Li Song is rich and a billionaire, that doesn't change anything.

The next day, Li Song went to Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Company, intending to stay for two more days.

However, Zhu Ling and her team were going to the Three Kingdoms Film and Television City to film Water Margin.

"Mr. Li, regarding the catalog, the higher-ups would like to hear your suggestions!" Section Chief Zhou finally asked on the private jet.

Upon hearing Section Chief Zhou's words, Li Song asked, "I'm not in a position to offer advice on this!"

Li Song said this because the suggestion was difficult to implement.

None of the studies I prepared to copy were unimportant.

However, it is clear that the current financial, material, and human resources in China are insufficient to support so many studies being conducted simultaneously.

In 1980, America's GDP was $2.8 trillion, nearly a quarter of the global GDP.

In contrast, China's GDP last year was only over 600 billion RMB.

Originally, it was only over 450 billion, but because Li Song brought new technologies and exports, it increased.

Therefore, the two cannot be compared at all.

"So, what does Mr. Li think of satellite remote sensing technology?" Section Chief Zhou had to ask in a different way.

"We don't need to worry about satellite remote sensing and radar technologies. We will bring out the relevant mature technologies when the time is right!"

“We can use our technology domestically then,” Li Song said.

The reason Li Song hasn't released the satellite and related technologies yet is twofold: firstly, he's waiting for his own chips to be developed, and secondly, he's waiting for China to absorb the technology of launch vehicles.

The rocket manufacturing plant next to the Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant is not yet completed, but Li Song is not in a hurry because the relevant domestic units have not yet fully mastered the technology they have put forward. He wants to wait for them to fully master the technology and transfer it to his factory.

"And what about shipbuilding?" Section Chief Zhou was somewhat surprised to hear this, but still asked.

"This area deserves significant development!"

“With the establishment of a logistics company by Baisheng Company, we can place orders with shipyards in China.” Li Song’s goal of building his own global logistics system is inseparable from ships.

(End of this chapter)