Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 338 A City That Needs a Strategy
Chen Xuebing felt things were going very smoothly. When the two directors left, they chatted with Section Chief Sun of the Economic and Trade Commission about Shenzhen's development.

Section Chief Sun naturally offered plenty of compliments, mentioning Huawei and also mentioning companies like Qidian Technology in Shenzhen, suggesting that high-tech development could reach an even higher level.

Chen Xuebing smiled and hummed "Shajiabang" softly.

But just ten minutes later, the two directors returned, looking somewhat troubled.

The two exchanged another glance before Director Gao spoke.

"Mr. Chen, these two dishes are getting a bit cold. Shall I have someone reheat them for you?" he said, pointing to the table.

Chen Xuebing's face darkened, but he quickly regained his composure.

"What, Vice Mayor Liu, do you think what I brought is bad?"

He's been turned away before, but this is the first time he's been turned away with an investment plan.

"No, not at all!" Director Gao immediately replied, "This is something the leadership assigned us to do: to form a reform pilot working group. We will fully cooperate! Section Chief Sun's department will send five people to this working group, and the e-government resource center will also send two people. I will serve as the head of the working group. If you need anything, you can contact me directly! However, this BOE project is also a task assigned by the leadership."

Chen Xuebing was already somewhat displeased. He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and left it alone.

After a long pause, he shook his head.

"Shenzhen missed its chance with BOE. Let me be frank, BOE is not what it used to be. They are about to receive a huge number of mobile phone orders. The 4.5-generation line in Hefei will become their lifeblood. The next 6th generation line cannot be located elsewhere."

Chen Xuebing's words were very firm.

Ren Ying, who was standing next to her, rarely spoke up and added, "It's like this, Director Gao. The Beijing State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission will also contribute to this matter. They have already negotiated with Hefei, and a Beijing banking syndicate is also involved. With four parties contributing, the investment in BOE's 6th generation line is no longer under pressure. It's not up to us to decide."

Director Gao paused for a moment.

Director Liu, standing nearby, couldn't hold back any longer.

"Mr. Chen, our municipal government has had several contacts with BOE. Their feedback is that the investment in Hefei was facilitated by your Changzheng team, and Changzheng is BOE's benefactor, so it's not easy to refuse."

Chen Xuebing's eyebrows twitched.

This Wang Dongsheng, he's a womanizer, probably still thinking about making a big splash in Shenzhen someday. He's left himself an opening to make me take the blame.

It was indeed his idea to continue investing in Hefei.

Their leader was very sincere, getting things done as needed and giving them the green light all the way.
She would also call to check on him frequently.

Isn't full respect one of the reasons for attracting investment?

Do you, BOE, really want to build a power line in this place that just betrayed you?

"If I can't handle this, does that mean I won't get the land in Qianhai? And I can forget about investing in this big data center, right?"

Chen Xuebing intentionally steered the matter towards this issue, hoping to find an excuse to impeach them.

Director Gao, however, understood the implication and chuckled dryly, "How could that be? But in Shenzhen, land use has to follow procedures. The land acquisition process and land prices must be open and transparent. Moreover, Qianhai is still undergoing land reclamation. There will be some underground engineering work to be done on the reclaimed land. Construction will take at least another year. Let's follow Mr. Chen's idea and carry out land reclamation, project approval, and negotiations at the same time."

Acquiring land is possible, but there are no preferential policies.

Chen Xuebing understood the implication, but the words were fairly fair, and he couldn't say anything about it.

But another Director Liu seemed to be there to make things difficult for him. He clicked his tongue and said, "However, Vanke also plans to reserve land there, so your company's application for the Longhua research land plot is still up for discussion."

Director Gao also wanted to collaborate on a project with Chen Xuebing, but he had no worries. When the leadership assigned him the task, it was naturally his responsibility to take the lead.

"Hehe." Chen Xuebing suddenly stood up and chuckled, "It's alright! Our headquarters is considering relocating, since Shenzhen won't give us this land."

Ren Ying quickly tugged at him, then stood up and exchanged glances with him.

Don't act impulsively about singularities.

Even if it were something they really wanted to do, there was no need to say it out loud. Threatening Shenzhen at this time would be unwise.

Chen Xuebing frowned and calmed down.

Before something is said, he is the master of that word; once it is spoken, he becomes its slave.

“Alright, since Shenzhen doesn’t want us to continue developing locally, then let’s just talk about our work in Hong Kong. Director Gao, this matter was assigned by the leadership and it concerns the development of both places. I hope you’ll take it seriously. I’m a straightforward person, and if anything goes wrong at work, I won’t take responsibility if it’s not my fault.”

Director Gao immediately smiled and said, "Don't worry, it won't happen."

The food on the table remained untouched, yet the meal was already over.

On the way back, Chen Xuebing vented his anger on his phone.

"Old Kan, is this the kind of environment where you used to work? A special municipality, and it's even more arrogant than Chongqing?"

"Damn it, I should have known better than to build those two electroplating production lines. I should have just walked away!"

Kan Zhidong listened to his venting over the phone, smiling silently.

Chen Xuebing didn't actually want to leave; he had a comprehensive plan in Shenzhen, and he was reluctant to leave even if he were asked to.

Previously, whenever Chen Xuebing encountered any administrative problems in Shenzhen, his boss, Kan, would step in and resolve them. Now, by venting his frustrations, he wants Kan to come up with a solution.

Chen Xuebing is a stubborn person who rarely asks for favors and won't say it directly.

After Chen Xuebing finished speaking, Kan Zhidong slowly said, "I had anticipated this. Your approach, which you call 'drawing a pie in the sky,' works well in other places, but not in Shenzhen."

Chen Xuebing quieted down: "What do you mean?"

"You're not familiar with Shenzhen's history, are you? In this place, the top two leaders are basically parachuted in. No one serves two terms. Four or five years is considered a long time. The mayor isn't ranked; he just goes through the motions and leaves... Each term of leadership is short-term and demanding. In a pioneering reform place like Shenzhen, if you don't achieve anything, it's a negative result. Put yourself in their shoes; who would want to take your place three or five years from now?"

Chen Xuebing frowned: "Parachuted? Wasn't the current mayor promoted locally?"

"He's one of the few who was promoted from executive vice president. He's been in office for a year and a half. Even if he stays for another three years, what achievements can compare to BOE's production line?"

The construction of panel production lines requires speed, because if it is slow, it will lose its value. Within three years, BOE will not only start production, but it is also likely to drive the development of related industries. For the local area, the value of introducing BOE is indeed far greater than that of ordinary projects, and even wafer fabs cannot compare.

"What should we do then?" Chen Xuebing was a little annoyed and asked directly.

Now that things have been made clear, there's no need for him to argue with this logic of political achievements.

People come from other places when they come here, and they will go to other places when they leave. Don't talk about feelings for Shenzhen; just look at the changes during their tenure.

"Let me recommend someone to you," Kan Zhidong suddenly said.

"Who?"

Kan Zhidong didn't say it directly, but instead talked about history: "There was a former mayor, Mr. Li, who served as mayor of Shenzhen for five years. He still has a lot of feelings for this place. During his tenure, from 1994 to 2000, Shenzhen underwent great changes. Many people in key positions were promoted by him. For example, the current director of the Shenzhen State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission is his secretary."

Chen Xuebing had a feeling and guessed, "Then Mayor Li must have been promoted after leaving?" "Yes, he went to the National Development and Reform Commission, and he just retired this month. He is still enthusiastic about his work and plans to become the president of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. If you want to work with him, you don't need to hide anything."

"You know them? Can you introduce me?"

"That's not it."

"."

Chen Xuebing felt like cursing. "Where am I supposed to know any leaders at the National Development and Reform Commission, even if they're retired?"
But he knew Kan Zhidong would have something to say next, so he remained silent for a moment.

"However, I can introduce someone named Wu Jiesi, who was the vice mayor of Shenzhen back then and later served as an assistant to a leader in Guangdong."

"This person was originally the president of the Shenzhen branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. When Mayor Li took office, he needed to form a municipal government team and needed a vice mayor in charge of finance."

"At that time, he was about to be transferred to the position of vice president of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The leaders of the head office also thought highly of him. The organizational procedures were approved. Mayor Li talked to him and did some ideological work. Then, after going through a lot of trouble, he stopped him from being transferred."

"You should know about ICBC's later development. It became the undisputed leader among the four major banks. After its listing, its status became even higher. This person missed a great opportunity. Last year, he simply resigned from his public office and went into business to become the general manager of Hopson Development Holdings. Mayor Li delayed his career, so he owes him a favor."

Chen Xuebing stroked his chin: "What do you mean?"

“I think you could hire this person as a non-executive director. He has worked in both ICBC and Shenzhen, and he is very familiar with the banking and Shenzhen situations. His connections are beyond imagination. He was also assigned by Guangdong to Hong Kong to be in charge of the debt restructuring of Yuehai Group, which had a debt of up to US$35 billion at the time. This was the largest debt restructuring in Asian history. His management skills are definitely not bad. If it weren't for his contract with Hopson Development, I would even suggest that you hire him to be the leader of the group.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuebing was already tempted.

"Hopson Development? How much of his contract is left? What's his current salary?"

Kan Zhidong coughed lightly: "I suggest you don't try to pry. Do you even know whose company Hopson Development is?"

"I don't know," Chen Xuebing replied simply.

"Zhu Mengyi, nicknamed Zhu Laonong, is a key figure in the Chaoshan circle. He has two brothers, all of whom have made significant achievements in business. Although they are usually very low-key, their strength is incomparable to that of a fledgling company like Tencent. If you want to poach the general manager of a group, it's not as easy as Tencent can handle. Moreover, Wu Jiesi is helping him to introduce investments from Temasek and Tiger Fund. It's a crucial time. His work contract is only for three years, and there's only a year and a half left. I suggest you wait."

"Oh"

Chen Xuebing had some recollection of the name and gradually calmed down.

"Where is Wu Jiesi now? Can I see him?"

"He should be in Meizhou. You wait for me in Shenzhen, and I'll go and invite him."

"it is good."

"When I get to Guangdong, arrange a nice car for me."

Chen Xuebing smiled when he heard this.

"Everyone recognizes this, so it seems I really need to put on a more grand show from now on."

The following afternoon, Chen Xuebing received another phone call.

"Brother, you can't order three Rolls-Royces at once! They're all about scarcity; each car has its own unique identity! If you want to order one, with your status, it's easy. Just go to the showroom on Jinbao Street in Beijing and make your customization request! Delivery will take six to twelve months. Once you become a Phantom owner, your service concierge will recommend any new high-end models that come out! Ordering three at once? What's wrong, are you getting married? 1888 million each, if you buy three, you could add a little more and buy a Bombardier Challenger! Ground cars are nothing compared to flying cars! Hey, if you really buy a private jet, you have to take me with you! I've never ridden in one before!"

Xu Yunfeng kept rambling on and on, which made Chen Xuebing a little impatient.

"I don't have time to go to Beijing! Can you find their contact number? One isn't enough, I need at least two. I have so much business, it's inconvenient for me to travel back and forth, and if I only buy one, where am I supposed to get the license plate?"

"Really buying it? Just get a Beijing license plate! Look, an old friend of mine might have some connections. I'll ask around! They might even offer door-to-door service!"

"Yes, that would be best."

As they were talking, Ren Ying knocked on the door and came in.

"Mr. Kan and his guests have arrived."

Chen Xuebing nodded, hung up the phone, and went out to greet the visitor, shaking hands with him in the corridor outside the chairman's office.

"Hello, General Wu! I've long admired your name!"

Before he resigned, his rank was similar to that of the mayor of Shenzhen, so it's only right to be enthusiastic.

The man looked to be in his fifties, with short black hair neatly combed. He wore a dark suit, and his attire and demeanor conveyed a sense of professionalism and reliability, while also carrying a hint of seriousness.

"Mr. Chen, you're too kind." Wu Jiesi smiled slightly. "I've already heard about the matter from Mr. Kan. Mayor Liu and I worked together back then. He came from a science and technology background. Mayor Li promoted him to the municipal government as deputy secretary-general to establish the high-tech park. He should understand your development plan. The key issue is that you took the wrong steps."

The executive officer Liu who gave Chen Xuebing a headache used to be his subordinate, and he mentioned the matter with a nonchalant air.

Chen Xuebing was somewhat surprised that they were talking business right away.

Wu Jiesi seemed to see through his thoughts at a glance and continued with a smile: "It's really unnecessary to ask me to be a non-executive director for such a small matter. President Kan and I are old colleagues. This matter is simple. I'll tell you the method directly. Don't talk to Shenzhen about anything right now. First, get the BOE sixth-generation line project settled in Hefei. I'll help you with the follow-up matters. There shouldn't be any major problems."

Chen Xuebing was taken aback once again.

Want nothing in return, just free help?
Does Old Kan have that much influence?

But Kan Zhidong, standing beside him, exchanged a long, meaningful glance with him. He calmly considered the situation and understood what was going on.

If they really considered this a small matter and just wanted to do a favor, why would they bother to come all the way here?
A phone call is sufficient.

Since you've come, you must have something to ask for.

If there is no need to be a non-executive director, then what is necessary should be a position or remuneration that exceeds that of a non-executive director.

As his thoughts wandered, Chen Xuebing put on a smile again.

The three of them entered the office. Ren Ying made tea and asked Wu Jiesi what he would like to drink. Instead of following her lead, he asked if they had any black tea.

In traditional contexts, black tea represents "orthodoxy" and "seniority".

Although Chen Xuebing didn't catch the underlying meaning, he understood that the other party wasn't going to compromise, and chuckled:

"How much longer does Mr. Wu have left on his contract with Hopson Development?"

Asking a question you already know the answer to, or testing the waters with a stone.

Wu Jiesi waved his hand and laughed, "I already said, Mr. Chen, there's no need to force me to pay the consulting fee. Let's talk about things first and see what Mr. Chen thinks. If I can help, I will."

Chen Xuebing's heart stirred slightly, and he glanced at Kan Zhidong.

This isn't a stance of prohibiting digging.

This is more like asking me to visit Zhuge Liang three times.

(End of this chapter)