My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 192 Silent Vigilance and New Greed

Shenzhen, Inspur Technology Headquarters.

Li Yuanchao and Song Lian sat facing each other, with the Economic Information Daily and several other major newspapers reprinting reports about Chery spread out on the coffee table in front of them.

The office was silent except for the incessant construction noise characteristic of the city that came from outside the window.

Both of them fell silent, completely silent.

They originally thought that with the epic achievement of establishing the national standard for Chinese character pagers, they had come very close to, or even surpassed, the meteoric rise of "Master Jing".

However, the other party did not even compete in the same arena, but instead started a completely different game, and with a wave of their hand, they stirred up a nationwide media storm, the breadth and depth of which far exceeded the industry shock they had previously caused.

"Master Jing, he really is Master Jing." Li Yuanchao put down the Economic Information Daily in his hand, shook his head with a wry smile, and his tone carried a hint of indescribable frustration and admiration.

"I really didn't expect him to be able to play with the concept of 'car manufacturing' so... in a fancy way?"

"His factory hasn't even had a single pile driven into it yet, and we haven't even seen a single wheel."

He pointed to Qin Yuan's photo at the press conference in the newspaper, "But with just a few words and a few cooperation intentions, he managed to get the national media to cheer for him and the entire province of Anhui to stand up for him."

"This momentum is something we couldn't even begin to compare to back then!"

Song Lian's expression was calmer than Li Yuanchao's. He pushed up his glasses and analyzed, "You can't compare them like that. Although our establishment of national standards caused a sensation, its impact was more limited to the industry, the policy level, and high-end users. It's highly technical, but too far removed from ordinary people."

“But Chery’s car manufacturing…” Song Lian paused, his gaze very clear, “is a completely different story.”

"Cars are a 'big-ticket item' that ordinary people can see, touch, and even dream of owning."

"Private enterprises breaking through barriers, building cars for the country, Sino-Soviet cooperation... each of these labels is full of stories and dramatic conflicts, which can naturally arouse the national sentiment and enthusiasm for discussion among the people. For us, this is a game-changer."

Song Lian said with a serious look, "Master Jing, or rather his team, is really good at marketing and at grasping the pulse of public opinion."

His finger traced the words of that powerful article in the Economic Information Daily: "'From the people, to the people'... This sentence is so precise and skillful that it elevates the Chery project to an impeccable level of political correctness."

He looked up at Li Yuanchao and asked, "Da Chao, you have connections within the system. Have you found out who wrote this brilliant piece in the Economic Information Daily?"

"Or rather... was there any behind-the-scenes maneuvering or instruction from Jing Ye himself or his team?"

In Song Lian's view, Chery's press conference was the fuse that ignited the explosive, while the Economic Information Daily report was the perfect catalyst that pushed the explosive power to its peak.

Its rigorous arguments, high-level perspective, and accurate grasp of national psychology are all textbook-worthy.

Li Yuanchao shook his head: "I specifically asked. The reporter who wrote this article is named Sun Lei. He's a newcomer who just graduated not long ago. During the Spring Festival, all the veteran reporters were on holiday, so they temporarily sent him to Wuhu."

"He wrote the article independently, and the publishing house didn't make many changes. The content... is mostly based on and refined from what Qin Yuan said publicly at the press conference."

After listening, Song Lian remained silent for a moment, and finally sighed with great emotion: "Then this young man has a bright future. Keen insight and political acumen are the most valuable qualities of a journalist, and he possesses them."

"This article was written... it was all perfectly timed, but how did it happen that Master Jing had to stumble upon it?"

He couldn't understand why, when the standards for the Wave were established, there wasn't a journalist who could write such a profound and insightful article.

Despite the感慨 (feelings of deep emotion), the sense of crisis is stronger than ever before.

“However, the lessons it teaches us are invaluable.” Song Lian raised his head, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. “Da Chao, we must speed things up.”

"Speed ​​up?" Li Yuanchao was taken aback. "Old Song, our Chinese-language pagers have almost monopolized the domestic market, with a market share of over 70%. How much faster do you need to go?"

"Look ahead!" Song Lian's voice was resolute. "Making mobile phones! This is absolutely the industry that China needs most and that is of the greatest strategic significance in the next era!"

"A cell phone?" Li Yuanchao was stunned.

“Yes! I have studied the technological trends carefully.” Song Lian spoke faster and said seriously, “We are currently in the analog network (1G) era. Mobile phones are expensive and bulky, but in Europe, the GSM (2G) standard is about to be commercially available.”

"Digital networks mean clearer calls, lower power consumption, and lower costs!"

"Small, inexpensive mobile phones based on 2G networks will definitely replace the old-fashioned mobile phones, and... in the future, they may even integrate and replace our pagers!"

As a tech enthusiast, Song Lian's vision extends several years into the future.

But he also clearly felt that Qin Yuan's rapid advance had compressed the time window for all players.

The market and time will no longer give them the space to slowly plan for the future.

Qin Yuan had already proven with Chery that the game had changed; only more innovative and ambitious projects could win the favor of the times. "We must begin preliminary research immediately! We need to establish communication standards and prepare for mobile phone development!" Song Lian made up his mind.

Just as Li Yuanchao and Song Lian were spurred on by the Chery storm and determined to move towards the more cutting-edge field of communications.

Moscow, in the distant Soviet Union.

TASS's report on Chery has been reprinted by mainstream media such as Pravda, causing quite a stir in the Soviet Union.

Chery, a rising force in China's automotive industry, is introducing advanced European technology and intends to collaborate with its AvtoVAZ plant to develop new-era models!

Such a headline was undoubtedly a shot of adrenaline for the Soviet people who had grown accustomed to the familiar faces of the Lada and Volga for decades.

For officials in the Soviet Ministry of Economic Affairs, this was even better news!
Look, these are the fruitful results brought about by our reform and opening up, the introduction of foreign investment, and the privatization of state-owned enterprises.

It was precisely because the Soviet Union allowed Qin Yuan to acquire the Ochakov beverage factory and provided loan support from the Moscow State Bank that Qin Yuan was able to develop and grow rapidly, and is now finally beginning to "give back" to the Soviet Union.

This is excellent proof that the market economy and the privatization of state-owned enterprises attract foreign investment and bring in technology.

It must be written about extensively and praised to the skies!
However, at the center of this media frenzy, Volga plant director Kadnikov remained unusually calm.

His office was filled with smoke.

Sitting opposite him was Berezovsky, who had not been seen for a long time.

At this moment, Berezovsky, compared to the sharp-witted and intellectually superior financial genius of the past, had a hint of undisguised decadence and frustration in his eyes.

He suffered a crushing defeat in the car sales competition with Far East Trade. Qin Yuan's "swarm tactics" of waging a people's war and the huge Chinese market behind it left him speechless with defeat.

What made him feel even more powerless and frustrated was that Qin Yuan was not satisfied with the victory in trade, but went even further.

Not only did it establish its own automobile company (Chery) in China, but it has now extended its reach back to the Soviet Union, proposing an ambitious plan to "cooperate on technology and conduct joint research and development" with the Volga plant.

This "turning the tables" approach and strategic breadth far exceeded his initial vision of simply profiting from price differences in trade.

What hurt him the most was that he had also had the idea of ​​"cooperating with foreign capital to improve the domestic automobile industry" and had even conducted some preliminary research and conceptualization in private!
But now, Qin Yuan has stolen all the limelight and the initiative.

“Boris,” Kaddankov began slowly, breaking the silence, “you’ve crossed swords with Qin Yuan. Based on your understanding of him, what do you think is his real purpose in proposing this ‘technical cooperation’? Does he really want to settle down and work with us to develop some kind of ‘new era vehicle’?”

Berezovsky shook his head almost immediately, a complex, slightly self-deprecating smile tugging at the corners of his mouth: "Anatole, although I haven't had much contact with Qin, I have a very strong feeling that he and I are the same kind of people."

"We have a keen sense of smell, are good at finding loopholes in the rules, and dare to leverage wealth far beyond our own strength."

"But we are by no means the kind of 'engineers' or 'entrepreneurs' who have the patience to spend ten or twenty years honing a technology and patiently wait for their wealth to grow."

A complex light flashed in his eyes, a mixture of frustration and a strange appreciation for a worthy opponent:

“Look at his history of making his fortune. Whether it’s kvass or Jeanswest clothing, he is extremely good at taking shortcuts. He quickly amassed huge wealth through mergers and acquisitions, advertising and marketing, capital operations, and even this kind of cross-border barter trade.”

"He's in a very hurry, didn't you notice?"

"Qin always seems to be racing against time, eager to make quick money, and then immediately using the money he makes as leverage to generate bigger and faster returns."

"In this respect, he is an absolute genius."

He paused, then said with absolute certainty, "Therefore, building cars could never be his ultimate goal. It's just a means for him to achieve something deeper! A very clever decoy that can fool everyone!"

"Methods?" Kadanikov frowned, his blue eyes filled with doubt. "What purpose would require using an automobile project as a cover? And to carry it out simultaneously in China and the Soviet Union?"

"I do not know."

Berezovsky shook his head honestly, but a near-instinctive, greedy glint of wealth rekindled in his eyes.

“I can’t see through his entire plan yet. But that’s not important. What’s important is that when he comes to the Soviet Union again and discusses the cooperation project with you in detail, his true purpose will inevitably be revealed.”

He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and said in a seductive tone, "But I have a very strong feeling, Anatoly."

"Regardless of his motives, this is an unprecedented opportunity to make a fortune!"

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, saying, "This is true for him, for me, and for you!"

(End of this chapter)