The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 257 Foreign Affairs Arrangements
“Deputy Factory Director Sun, I know that I wasn’t going there for you just now.”

Zhou Zhiqiang said that if the goal was to get rid of Deputy Factory Director Sun, he would call the leadership directly and ask them to transfer someone away.

He's sure he can do it, but he's not really willing to bother his boss with such a small matter.

The factory is focused on development, and Zhou Zhiqiang has a lot to do every day. Even now, as the year draws to a close, he still has to prepare a report on next year's R&D project proposals.

"Actually, I just wanted to clarify this matter, otherwise it would be bad if you, Director Zhou, misunderstood me."

Deputy Factory Director Sun explained that he no longer cared about whether it was shameful to submit to Zhou Zhiqiang. Submitting to such a capable and competent cadre was not shameful at all.

Perhaps a few years later, Zhou Zhiqiang will become his direct superior.

"Factory Director, to put it bluntly, this Director Chang seems to respect me a lot and reports everything to me, but in reality, he doesn't care about my opinion as the deputy factory director in charge of logistics at all."

He would only report to me after making a decision, and he would always talk about the big picture and the interests of the entire factory.”

“Comrade Yifei, you are the deputy factory director. If you feel something is inappropriate, you can just reject it directly. The logistics director can give you suggestions, but he can't make decisions for you.”

Zhou Zhiqiang sighed and said to Sun Yifei, the deputy factory director, "This is the 1960s, not the 21st century sixty years from now."

It's normal for cadres to be rough in their work style and lack supervision; this is the case nationwide, not just an exception in their factory.

Some factory directors or officials, when they get anxious, will even resort to physical violence.

However, the cadres Zhou Zhiqiang encountered were all honest and hardworking, or they rarely took charge of anything, which only highlighted his domineering and tough nature.

"Next time you feel something is inappropriate, just reject it directly first, and then come and discuss it with me."

Remember, you must discuss things with me. Although I'm usually quite busy, I'm not so busy that I don't have time to discuss things. Otherwise, I'd be completely lost, and I'd only find out about things at the year-end cadre summary meeting.

Upon hearing this, Deputy Factory Director Sun quickly nodded and said, "Don't worry, Factory Director Zhou, I will definitely change my work style and take on the responsibilities I should bear when I get back."

“That’s right, Deputy Factory Director Sun.”

Secretary Li chimed in, "Director Zhou is already very busy. You deputy directors should help him share the burden of the factory's affairs. Otherwise, if Director Zhou has to handle everything by himself, he'll be so busy he won't even have time to sit down."

He's almost sixty and will be eligible for retirement in a few years; moreover, the workload at Jiuzhou Machine Tool Factory is too heavy, and Li Younian feels that once he reaches the age, there's no need for him to continue in the position of secretary of the machine tool factory.

Although it is true that one should fulfill one's duties in a position, sometimes it is really hard for him, an old man who is nearly sixty years old, to work more than ten hours a day.

Therefore, Secretary Li has been considering whether to apply for retirement in accordance with the employee retirement regulations when he turns sixty.

Anyway, thanks to Zhou Zhiqiang, his current rank has already been raised to the level of a senior cadre, and it is impossible for him to be promoted any further.

It's better to retire earlier, and retirement benefits are actually better now.

Li Younian was thinking about retirement, so he became somewhat lax in managing the factory, but he certainly didn't want others to be as lax as he was.

Otherwise, if everyone is so lax, then with only Zhou Zhiqiang as the factory director putting in the effort, the Jiuzhou Machine Tool Factory might as well give up on development altogether. That's why Li Younian spoke up for Deputy Factory Director Sun earlier, asking him to take charge of some things.

After Deputy Factory Director Sun finished making his assurances and left the office, Secretary Li spoke up, "Comrade Zhiqiang, I will handle today's matter within the factory. I believe that after this incident, Director Chang will not act so impulsively again."

As for Chang Zhiwei going to his superiors to complain, Li Younian would definitely not allow that to happen; he had already sent someone to inform Director Chang.

After Zhou Zhiqiang leaves, Li Younian will have a chat with Director Chang.

“I understand, Secretary Li. I’m not worried about him complaining, but I’m just thinking that some comrades—no, I should say some people—have already put their personal desires above development and construction.”

Zhou Zhiqiang doesn't even want to call them "comrade" anymore. In this era, calling someone "comrade" means acknowledging their aspirations and being willing to become like-minded people.

But Zhou Zhiqiang still decided to let it go regarding that group of people.

"I'm already busy with so much every day—liaising with external parties for help, assembling R&D project teams—and I haven't even finished writing next year's R&D report yet. And today at the meeting, I heard that Director Chang had unilaterally changed the factory's Party Committee's decision."

"To be honest, Secretary Li, I was just thinking about whether or not to remove him from his post."

Upon hearing this, Secretary Li quickly comforted him, saying, "Comrade Zhiqiang, don't get angry over this. There are other comrades who will help you resolve this."

Besides, didn't you listen to today's meeting? Our factory is generally developing in a positive direction, and it will definitely develop even better next year or the year after.

This statement is indeed true. Whether it is the speed of development or the total annual output value, Jiuzhou Machine Tool Factory is undoubtedly number one.

While other factories were still studying how to maintain an annual growth rate of a few percent or more, Jiuzhou Machine Tool Factory's annual output value growth rate had already doubled, or increased by fifty or sixty percent.

At this year's national conference, when discussing the development of heavy industry, their factory was once again the one specifically praised.

"I definitely know that, that's it."

Ring ring ring!
Before Zhou Zhiqiang could finish speaking, the phone on Secretary Li's desk suddenly rang.

Li Younian gestured to Zhou Zhiqiang, then got up and went to his desk, picked up the phone and said, "Hello, this is Li Younian from Jiuzhou Machine Tool Factory."

"Oh, boss, yes, we just finished a meeting today. Comrade Zhiqiang is in my office. Okay, I'll have him come over too."

After Secretary Li finished speaking, he turned to Zhou Zhiqiang and said, "It's a call from Deputy Leader Wu."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang walked over and leaned close to the microphone, asking, "Boss, I'm talking to Secretary Li in his office right now. What do you need me for?"

"I'm not looking for you, I'm looking for both of you. I have something to tell you."

On the other end of the phone, Deputy Leader Wu said that the phone did not have a hands-free function, so Zhou Zhiqiang and Li Younian had to lean close to the microphone to listen.

"Our department just received a notification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that around March next year, people from France may visit our country, and they may arrange for them to visit your factory."

It's a semi-official, semi-private visit, and they're not specialized technical personnel. Your factory needs to prepare in advance to ensure there are no leaks, but you also need to provide excellent hospitality for the visitors.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang asked with some surprise, "France? Leader, why would they suddenly come to visit our country and even want to tour our factory?"

"In fact, this country has maintained a fairly good relationship with us since 1958, and as I mentioned last time, your factory is already an 'industrial calling card' for our country internationally; when they visit, they will naturally think of our country's factories that produce CNC machine tools."

Deputy Leader Wu explained over the phone that it was only Zhou Zhiqiang who asked that question; if it had been anyone else, Deputy Leader Wu would have already said, "Just complete the task, why ask so many questions?"

The previous French leader was very hostile to China, but this one is doing better; relations with them have improved considerably.

Originally, they planned to notify China in August or September of next year, but the foreign trade achievements made at the Canton Fair held in China last year were getting bigger and bigger, so after discussion within France, the date was moved up by a few months.

In addition, they also purchased a lot of CNC machine tools from Jiuzhou Machine Tool Factory last year, which is why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs included it as one of the sites they visited.

This phone call was to allow Jiuzhou Machine Tool Factory to prepare in advance, to tidy up the factory as needed, and to receive a formal notification at the end of February after the New Year.

CNC machine tools require a lot of technological accumulation, and just a few years ago, China was still an agricultural power that needed Russia to support its industrial development in the eyes of other countries.

The fact that they have suddenly produced CNC machine tools comparable to those of the United States is enough to shock many countries.

Even setting aside the relationship with the changes in Aramco's policy, France felt that they could gain considerable benefits from dealing with a rising industrial power like China.

After finishing their conversation, Zhou Zhiqiang and Li Younian hung up the phone.

This news meant they were given some more work. Li Younian originally had some things he wanted to say, but now he didn't feel like saying anything.

Zhou Zhiqiang also put the events of the meeting behind him and thought about going back to work.

After telling Secretary Li, Zhou Zhiqiang went back to his office.

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The research and development plan report for the composite machining CNC machine tool was submitted and then expedited to Vice Leader Wu's desk.

Deputy Leader Wu already knew about this matter, but he still took a closer look.

After he finished reading it, he wrote his reply and then had his assistant deliver it to the Planning Commission.

The State Planning Commission also had the power to understand and approve major matters such as the production arrangements of the Jiuzhou Machine Tool Plant, and also had the power to guide planning.

However, the State Planning Commission generally does not manage technological research and development.

The approval was issued quickly. Although it was a project that was planned to start after the New Year, Zhou Zhiqiang went to Factory 190 to take over the project as soon as he received the approval.

During this period, Zhou Zhiqiang also visited the CNC branch factory and inspected the semiconductor production workshop and integration workshop needed for his research.

This is the area we'll be studying next, and about 70% of the money spent on building the CNC branch factory was spent on constructing the workshop and the precision instruments and equipment inside.

If one of them breaks down, they'll have to wait in line for a year or even two years to buy a replacement.

Compared to the semiconductor production workshop and the integrated circuit workshop, the CNC branch's office building appears rather simple.

In Zhou Zhiqiang's office as the Party Secretary at the branch factory, the sofas were all secondhand.

This wasn't a show, because the branch factory really didn't have much money left; Tian Wenguo spent a long time calculating before he managed to squeeze out a little money from the office furniture.

If the CNC branch doesn't use its money sparingly now, it will have to submit a report to its superiors in advance to apply for financial assistance.

After setting aside the workers' wages, daily factory expenses, and other costs, if Tian Wenguo were to provide him with a nice set of furniture, Tian Wenguo would truly be in tears.

After receiving approval from higher authorities at Factory 190, Zhao Chenghui brought the personnel who had been called upon last time to the CNC branch factory.

The cold winter wind made the CNC branch factory appear unusually empty and somewhat desolate.

The road has just been paved, and the factory planned to plant some greenery along the roadside, but due to a shortage of funds, the plan has been postponed to next year.

After getting off the bus, Zhao Chenghui and his group walked a long way before arriving at the CNC branch factory.

At this moment, Zhou Zhiqiang and Tian Wenguo were already waiting at the factory gate. When they saw Zhao Chenghui leading more than 30 technical R&D personnel over, they immediately went forward to greet him.

"Comrade Zhiqiang, the person has been brought. Let's go in first."

Zhao Chenghui's first words upon meeting them were that he wanted to come inside to talk, as many of them had been quite chilly on the bus.

Although everyone was wearing thick clothes, the weather outside was still so cold, and the bus was drafty, causing many people's faces to turn red from the cold.

"Okay, let's go in and have some hot tea first, we can talk about the rest later."

Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, and then together with Tian Wenguo, led Zhao Chenghui and his group to the conference room in the factory office building.

Although this place was originally planned as a conference room, it has now been requisitioned as the dedicated office for the integrated system improvement project team of composite machining CNC machine tools.

Originally, there wasn't even a conference table, but now they've moved in more than a dozen desks and chairs, as well as bookshelves and so on.

However, this space couldn't accommodate more than thirty people, so many were assigned to work in the technical department downstairs; it wasn't far, just a minute's walk between the two floors.

After having hot tea poured for everyone, Zhou Zhiqiang pulled Tian Wenguo aside and asked in a low voice, "Director Tian, ​​are there any guesthouses or similar places near the CNC factory that can accommodate so many people?"

"Secretary, don't they go home tonight?"

"We're busy until 11 or 12 at night. Our factory doesn't have enough vehicles to take them home. We can't just let them ride back in the snow, can we? What if something happens?"

Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head and said, "Let's solve the accommodation problem first. If there's a guesthouse nearby, we'll arrange for you to stay there. If not, you'll have to figure something out."

"Yes, there's a guesthouse near Beimen Street. It's not too far, less than two miles away, Factory Manager. I'll go arrange it."

Tian Wenguo then said, "But we need to count the number of people first, and Secretary, the factory doesn't actually have much money left."

(End of this chapter)