Rebirth of the Hong Kong Millennium Conglomerate

Now, in all of Hong Kong's newspapers, radio stations, and even in the casual conversations of diners in tea restaurants, two names are always mentioned: Dairy Farm and Hongkong Land.

A takeover battle that could shake up the business landscape of Hong Kong is entering a fierce, all-out phase.

In order to completely suppress their rivals and win the support of shareholders, these two giants went to great lengths to launch a massive GG offensive in major mainstream media and newspapers in Hong Kong.

Some placements are free publicity earned through industry status, but many more prime-time slots and prominent columns are earned with real money.

Full pages of advertising slogans were vying for dominance, with Dairy Farm Company recounting its decades of accumulated reputation on one side and Hongkong Land Company outlining its grand business blueprint on the other, dazzling shareholders and fueling the growing fervor of this business battle.

But this is not enough.

In addition to the direct barrage of criticism, both sides unanimously resorted to even more aggressive tactics—hiring experts from Hong Kong's financial circles and sharp-tongued columnists to engage in a war of words in the newspaper's commentary section.

These paid "mouthpieces" meticulously analyzed the opponent's operational loopholes, vehemently attacking their business reputation with sharp words, their words laced with barbs.

In just a few days, these expert writers made a fortune, and the battle between Milk and Landmark intensified under their influence.

However, it is clear to anyone with eyes to see that the balance of power in this war was severely unbalanced from the very beginning.

Zhou Xinian, the head of the Milk Company, was a prominent figure in Hong Kong's business world, but at this moment he was being beaten helplessly by Henry Joseph, the tycoon of Hong Kong Land.

In an effort to reverse the downward trend, Zhou Xinian had already invited the Luo Fuqi family to take charge, hoping that this veteran financial advisor could help him stabilize the situation.

Even with such strong foreign support, he still couldn't withstand Henry Joseph's fierce offensive.

Not to mention, behind Zhou Xinian stood two Hong Kong trading giants: Hutchison Whampoa's tycoon, Qi Dezun, and Wheelock's tycoon, Ma Deng.

The two major trading companies, with their substantial capital, thought they could provide a strong foundation for the dairy company, but even so, Zhou Xinian still faced numerous difficulties.

Ultimately, Henry Joseph was a master at understanding people's hearts.

He firmly grasped investors' natural tendency to seek profit and avoid loss, and the stock swap plan he offered was like a heavy piece of fat, precisely hooking the heartstrings of every stock investor.

Compared to Dairy Farm's adherence to traditional business models, Hongkong Land's vision of wealth appreciation is clearly more enticing.

As more and more shareholders wavered and began to consider exchanging their Milk Company shares for Hongkong Land shares, Zhou Xinian felt as if a huge boulder was pressing on his heart.

He knew very well that if this trend was allowed to continue, it wouldn't be long before the Dairy Farm Company would be swallowed up by Hongkong Land.

He had no way out but to fight a desperate battle to stop shareholders from rushing to Hongkong Land's share swap window.

After much deliberation, a desperate plan gradually emerged in Zhou Xinian's mind—to join forces with other real estate groups to establish his own real estate company and personally manage the development of his large tracts of high-quality properties.

Only by demonstrating to shareholders the company's enormous potential in the real estate sector can they regain their confidence.

But as soon as the thought popped into his head, Zhou Xinian couldn't help but smile bitterly.

This move came far too late. If he had made strategic moves a few years earlier, when the Hong Kong property market was just beginning to boom, he wouldn't be in such a passive position today.

But now that things have come to this, he has to grit his teeth and keep going, no matter how difficult it is. This is his last chance to save the milk company.

Soon, a piece of news quietly spread in Hong Kong's business circles—Zhou Xinian, the head of Dairy Farm Group, intended to join hands with other large organizations to enter the real estate industry and develop a large area of ​​land under his control in Causeway Bay and Pok Fu Lam.

The news caused an immediate uproar in Hong Kong's real estate industry.

Everyone knows that land in Causeway Bay is already incredibly valuable, and with Hong Kong's economic boom in recent years, land prices have skyrocketed.

Looking across Hong Kong, the only companies that can hold such a large contiguous area of ​​land are the Lee family, who have been deeply rooted in Causeway Bay for many years, and the Dairy Farm Company, which has a deep-rooted financial foundation.

Not to mention the Pok Fu Lam area, which is nestled between mountains and the sea with stunning scenery, making it a prime location for high-end residential development.

These two lucrative opportunities have long been coveted by countless real estate developers, but due to the strength of the Dairy Farm Corporation, no one dares to touch them easily.

Zhou Xinian's announcement that he wants to find partners for development is like dropping a bombshell on a calm lake, instantly igniting the ambitions of countless real estate developers.

On the night of November 22, 1972, the night was as dark as ink.

Halfway up Victoria Peak, an exquisite villa stands quietly among lush trees. A gentle evening breeze carries the cool scent of the mountains, while in the study on the second floor, a dim lamp illuminates two pensive figures by the window.

It was Wang Dehui, the head of Chinachem Group, and his wife Gong Xinru.

The couple had been closely following the business battle between Milk and Landmark.

With their keen sense of smell honed over years in the real estate industry, they had long predicted that the Milk Company was likely in dire straits under Henry Joseph's relentless pressure.

Upon hearing the news that Zhou Xinian was going to join forces with other companies to develop the Causeway Bay and Pok Fu Lam sites, the couple exchanged a glance, both seeing an undisguised fervor in each other's eyes.

That's land in Causeway Bay and Pok Fu Lam!

Just thinking about the potential profits from those vast tracts of land made Gong Xinru's heart race.

She comes from a prominent business family and is not only Wang Dehui's life partner but also his most capable advisor in his career.

Gong Xinru's strategic planning has played an indispensable role in Chinachem Group's ability to establish itself in the highly competitive Hong Kong market over the years.

She turned around, her gaze fixed intently on her husband beside her, her voice tinged with barely concealed urgency: "Sir, this is a golden opportunity, we absolutely cannot miss it."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dehui slowly nodded, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes as well: "You noticed it too?"

"Of course." Gong Xinru walked to the desk, tapping her fingertips lightly on the surface, her tone firm. "If we can reach a cooperation agreement with Zhou Xinian to jointly establish a real estate company, once it's done, we at Huamao will be able to get a share of those two prime plots of land held by Milk Company. This is an opportunity that others would beg for."

Even if the cooperation ultimately fails, so what? Leveraging Dairy Farm's current reputation will allow Chinachem Group's name to resonate throughout Hong Kong; this deal won't be a loss.

Her words struck a chord with Wang Dehui.

Over the past three years, Chinese-owned real estate companies in Hong Kong have sprung up like mushrooms after rain, eagerly knocking on the door of the stock market.

Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Holdings has already successfully gone public and is rapidly expanding by taking advantage of the capital market.

Not to be outdone, the five major Hong Kong real estate developers also put their properties up for sale, attracting considerable attention and capital.

Only their Chinachem Properties remained steadfast in its own territory, delaying its foray into the stock market.

It wasn't that they didn't want to, but rather that Mr. and Mrs. Wang had their own considerations. They were calm and steady, disliked rash actions, and always felt that Chinachem's foundation could be further strengthened, so there was no need to rush into listing.

Since the 1960s, Chinachem Group has been firmly established in Hong Kong. From its initial small-scale operations to now holding several prime plots of land and developing numerous well-regarded residential projects, it has taken steady and solid steps forward.

However, compared to its peers who expanded rapidly after going public, Chinachem's reputation still falls short.

"Xinru, you're right." Wang Dehui's tone was more decisive.

Seeing this, Gong Xinru pressed her advantage, speaking even faster: "Sir, this is a golden opportunity. We must see Zhou Xinian immediately, or other real estate developers will beat us to it."

Although Victoria Peak is large, those who live here are likely to be either very wealthy or very powerful. The villas of the Wang and Zhou families are both located on this auspicious land, but they are separated by several hilltops and are not exactly close.

"Then I'll set off now to visit Mr. Zhou." Wang Dehui stood up, preparing to get his coat.

He and Zhou Xinian were acquaintances, having met a few times at business dinners and exchanged a few words, but they were far from being familiar with each other.

At times like these, the confidence to approach someone for cooperation inevitably diminishes.

Gong Xinru sighed inwardly as she looked at her husband's slightly reserved demeanor.

Wang Dehui is a down-to-earth and pragmatic person, but when it comes to social skills, he is far inferior to me.

If he were to negotiate, Zhou Xinian would likely dismiss him with a few words, causing him to miss a golden opportunity.

She quickly reached out to stop her husband, her tone firm: "Sir, I'll go myself. You just wait for my news at home."

Wang Dehui paused for a moment, then nodded in relief.

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