Sharpening the Blade Against the Red Wall: From Hong Kong to Handong

In late January 2006, the lights were on almost every night in a temporary office in the Yancheng Municipal Party Committee office building. After returning from his research trip, Zhou Jin immediately selected a liaison officer from the Municipal Party Committee Office—28-year-old Lin Feng, a master's graduate in economics who had worked at the Municipal Development and Reform Commission for three years. He was familiar with local economic data and possessed the energy and sensitivity of a young person. Five years younger than Zhou Jin, he was efficient and capable, exactly the kind of assistant Zhou Jin wanted.

"Lin Feng, thank you for your hard work these past two weeks. Help me coordinate with various departments and collect all this information." Zhou Jin handed Lin Feng a list full of requirements, which included industry data from the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, tourism statistics from the Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, apple industry reports from the Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, and summaries of infrastructure and ecological conditions in various districts and counties. "The key is to get the latest on-site survey data, not just written reports."

"Understood, Mayor Zhou! I'll go to coordinate first thing tomorrow morning and try to collect all the materials within three days." Lin Feng took the list, his eyes full of enthusiasm.

For the next two weeks, the office became Zhou Jin's "battlefield." He first convened a symposium with the heads of core departments such as the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and put the problems found in the investigation on the table: "Red cultural tourism lacks products and channels, apples have quality but no brand and no deep processing, and energy transformation lacks funds and technology. These are all tough nuts to crack during the 'Eleventh Five-Year Plan' period."

At the meeting, the heads of various departments poured out their grievances: "Mayor Zhou, we also want to develop apple deep processing, but no companies are willing to come, and we can't keep up with the technology and funding." "No one is promoting red study tour routes, and travel agencies from other places rarely take the initiative to contact us." "The approval process for new energy projects is long, and our local companies simply cannot afford the initial investment."

After listening, Zhou Jin had already made a plan: "We can seek outside help for funding and technology; we can leverage external resources for channels and branding. I worked in Hong Kong for eight years and know many cultural and tourism enterprises, food processing giants, and investment institutions. These resources can be used by Yancheng City."

These words surprised everyone present; no one had expected that this young mayor had such connections.

After the symposium, Zhou Jin led Lin Feng and key personnel drawn from various departments, dividing them into four special task forces to refine the task list in accordance with the core objectives of the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan". Zhou Jin personally led the industrial transformation group, focusing on connecting with resources in Hong Kong, but deliberately avoided Lin Xiaoman and the Lin Group - he was aware of their feelings for each other and did not want personal relationships to be involved in official cooperation, so as not to give others cause for criticism.

He first called Chen Jingzhi, vice president of the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce. During the financial crisis, Chen Jingzhi's family business was in financial trouble, and Zhou Jin helped him revitalize his assets through the market-oriented operations of Huayao Capital. The two became friends as a result.

"President Chen, I am currently working in Yancheng City, Shaanxi Province. It is an old revolutionary base area with excellent apple industry and red tourism resources, but unfortunately it lacks funds, technology and channels." Zhou Jin said earnestly, "I would like to ask you to help connect us with Hong Kong entrepreneurs to come to Yancheng City for inspection and see if there is any possibility of cooperation."

Chen Jingzhi laughed heartily on the other end of the phone: "Brother Zhou, I'll definitely help! If it weren't for you back then, my Chen family's business would have collapsed long ago. I'll contact the cultural tourism group and food processing company in Hong Kong right away, and I'll bring an inspection team there next month!"

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Jin contacted a Hong Kong-based fund company specializing in agricultural investment. Upon hearing about the superior quality of Yancheng apples, the company immediately expressed its willingness to send personnel to conduct on-site research and explore the possibility of cooperating in the construction of a cold chain logistics center and a deep-processing base. Regarding the revolutionary cultural tourism project, Zhou Jin connected with a Hong Kong company specializing in cultural IP development to discuss how to transform revolutionary stories into immersive experience projects and cultural and creative products.

These connections avoided personal relationships and were carried out entirely under the guise of official business. Zhou Jin repeatedly emphasized the principles of "market-oriented cooperation and mutual benefit," ensuring that no one would think she was "using personal connections for personal gain."

Meanwhile, the refinement of the plan was also underway. Lin Feng traveled between various departments every day with materials, transforming Zhou Jin's ideas into specific quantifiable indicators. When disagreements arose, he promptly provided feedback: "Mayor Zhou, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau reports that the pressure to add 2 mu of standardized apple planting area in 2006 is considerable. The renovation of old orchards in Luochuan and Huangling will take time. Could we adjust some of the indicators to 2007?"

Zhou Jin looked at the survey data in her hand and pondered for a moment: "Adjustments can be made, but the renovation tasks for 2006 must be clearly defined, and the construction quality of the demonstration garden must be guaranteed. In addition, have them list the technical requirements for apple deep processing, and I will ask my friends in Hong Kong to help connect with research institutions."

Regarding the quantitative targets for the Red Study Tour, Zhou Jin requested the Bureau of Culture and Tourism to come up with a specific plan: "We need to exceed 5 visitors in 2006. We can't just rely on waiting for customers to come to us. We need to actively connect with universities and government agencies in mainland China. Travel agencies in Hong Kong can also help us attract visitors."

Although the internet in 2006 was not as developed as it would later become, Zhou Jin had already incorporated the construction of an official website for "Red Yanshi" into the plan. The plan was to have a technical team from Hong Kong assist in building the website, showcasing revolutionary stories, Apple products, and tourist routes. This was considered a forward-thinking idea in the old revolutionary base area of ​​northern Shaanxi at that time.

For half a month, Zhou Jin slept only four hours a day. During the day, he connected with resources and coordinated with departments, and at night he worked with Lin Feng to refine the details of the plan, checking the indicators word by word and clarifying the responsible parties. Qin Gang saw this and silently prepared late-night snacks and hot water for him every day, and stood guard outside the office to make sure no one disturbed his work.

On the last day of January, a thick draft of the "Yancheng City 2006-2010 High-Quality Development 'Eleventh Five-Year Plan' Implementation Plan (Draft)" was finally finalized. In the draft, from industrial transformation to urban and rural infrastructure construction, from ecological protection to people's livelihood security, each task clearly defined quantitative indicators, responsible entities, and time nodes. In particular, the "Resource Integration" section detailed the inspection plan and cooperation direction of Hong Kong enterprises, and even included the idea of ​​introducing Hong Kong investment institutions to participate in a 500 million yuan special fund for industrial transformation.

"Finally finished." Lin Feng rubbed his sore shoulders, looking at the dozens of copies of the plan on the table, his face full of a sense of accomplishment.

Zhou Jin stretched, looked at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, and smiled: "This is just the first step. Tomorrow we will hold a meeting of the municipal government's party group to discuss this plan, brainstorm ideas, and strive to finalize it as soon as possible."

He picked up a copy of the plan, his fingertips tracing over the words "Yanshi Apple" regional public brand, the Red Tourism Study Tour Route, and the photovoltaic power station site selection, his heart filled with anticipation. He knew that this plan, the culmination of half a month's hard work, would soon be tested at the municipal government party group meeting, and that Yanshi's path to revitalization would begin with this plan, gradually moving towards reality.

As for the follow-up matters regarding connecting with Hong Kong's resources, Zhou Jin had already made arrangements—once the plan is approved, she will formally report to the municipal party committee and invite various departments to participate in the subsequent investment promotion and inspection work to ensure that every step is compliant and solid.