"Port?" Yuan Geng was stunned for a moment. The main purpose of the central government's establishment of the Shekou Industrial Zone was to attract foreign investment in the manufacturing industry, not infrastructure. Besides, this port can be used not only for civilian use, but also for military use.
Although the central government gave him enough autonomy, the port involved was a bit big, but the person in front of him was not an ordinary Hong Kong businessman, and he could not refuse directly, so he said: "Sheng Chen, the current plan for the Shekou Industrial Zone is to first The industrial zone will be built, and then a port will be built according to the needs of the industrial zone. In the early stage, goods and exports will go through Hong Kong's ports, but if there is an opportunity in the future, I will be the first to consider Chen Sheng's opinion."
"Yes, I thought too far." Chen Zhiwen nodded and said. The normal logic is indeed like this. Without commodity exports, what port is needed? But this is fine. If in two years' time, the results of pilot areas such as Shekou and Shenzhen are better, people in various places will have a much better attitude towards foreign investment, and they will be much better at reinvesting in infrastructure.
The port is an infrastructure project that Chen Zhiwen values more. Although the investment is large, once completed, there will be stable long-term cash income, especially in several triangular areas in the country. In the original history, Li Jiacheng seized these opportunities. , making Hutchison the world's largest port operating company.
"Sheng Chen, what Shekou Industrial Zone currently needs is manufacturing factories. With factories, all subsequent economic development can take off. Just like Hong Kong a few decades ago, there will naturally be ports." President Liang, who accompanied him, Said, relatively speaking, his relationship with Chen Zhiwen is better, and some things may be better for him.
"Invest in a factory?" Chen Zhiwen glanced around and said, "These lands are not leveled. This is not a problem. If I come to invest, I can level the land I need, but water, electricity, communications and transportation are not. You have to be able to guarantee the most basic things, right? And even if the goods are shipped to Hong Kong, there must be a better way, right?"
Leveling the land actually doesn't cost a lot of money. After all, it only requires an area as large as a factory. Considering that the factory is also invested in installments, and general industrial parks, even foreign or later generations, only level the land slightly, leaving the rest It’s up to investors to do it.
But all kinds of basic hardware facilities are indeed indispensable. Otherwise, how can the factory be opened?
Of course, he also knew that the Shekou Industrial Zone would eventually be able to solve this problem, but he could not just agree to invest when he did not have the hardware, so he had to maintain normal logic.
President Liang and Yuan Geng looked at each other, and then said: "Sheng Chen, the current situation is like this. The industrial zone currently does not have funds, so it is prepared to borrow money from banks in Hong Kong, but you also know that banks in Hong Kong generally have Risk management and control, so we hope that Mr. Chen can issue a written official letter stating that if Shekou’s infrastructure is ready, Midea or other companies under your umbrella can invest in Shekou.
I know this is a bit presumptuous. If you have any requirements, you can also put them forward. Let's talk about it like doing business. "
"There is no problem with this written official letter. If you want to ask for it, why not let my Baixin Supermarket open one in Shekou? What do you think?" Chen Zhiwen thought carefully for a while and found that there was really nothing to ask for.
When it comes to land, domestic policies are still relatively strict, so the port is not available now. In the original history, probably next year, many Hong Kong rich people came to the Shekou Industrial Zone and proposed to buy shares in the entire Shekou Industrial Zone, but Yuan Geng also rejected it.
Of course, this rejection is correct. If the Hong Kong real estate developers really take a stake in the Shekou Industrial Zone and engage in real estate, it is estimated that it will seriously affect the entire Shekou.
"Supermarket?" Yuan Geng frowned a little. He didn't expect such a request, so he said: "Sheng Chen, there is no supermarket model in China at present. Moreover, supermarket operations involve frequent foreign exchange transactions, which is very difficult. Difficult to operate.”
"It doesn't matter. I plan to only do Hong Kong dollar transactions in this supermarket in Shekou, and only accept Hong Kong dollars or US dollars. If Shekou develops in the future, there will definitely be many Hong Kong people or foreigners coming here, and their consumption will probably be satisfied with domestic products. Can't you?" Chen Zhiwen said with a smile.
Shekou Industrial Zone will become a template for the entire country's economy in the next few years, so it will naturally require heavy investment. At the same time, once Shekou's infrastructure is ready, it will also be very attractive to Hong Kong businessmen. In its original history, Shekou's A supermarket has an annual turnover of more than 100 million Hong Kong dollars, which is even comparable to a Costco in a non-first-tier city in the United States.
However, the main consumer force is not the Hong Kong people who come to Shekou, but the tens of thousands of mainland workers in Shekou. Some of them are paid in Hong Kong dollars for work. Even if they are not, it is not difficult for ordinary people to do so in this reformed frontier. to Hong Kong dollars.
Hong Kong dollars can be used to buy imported materials, which are in urgent need throughout the mainland. Naturally, many people buy them and send them to their own homes in the mainland, or purchase them on behalf of others. This is why Shekou Supermarket became popular in the 1980s. reason.
No matter how good a supermarket's business is, Chen Zhiwen actually doesn't care very much, but with the first one, it will be much easier to enter again when the Deep Sea Special Zone becomes a re-opening position. Once supermarkets with self-owned properties are deployed in a large number of locations in the special zone, Even if the people at the back come in again, it will be difficult for them to stand up.
In the future, Shenhai City will not be inferior to Hong Kong in terms of economy. At the same time, when the domestic supermarket industry allows foreign investment in the 1990s, as long as the response is faster, the Pearl River Delta will be the foundation of PARKnSHOP or RT-Mart.
"If that's the case, there should be no problem." Yuan Geng thought for a while and said. In fact, if you want to attract Hong Kong investment, in addition to the most basic water, electricity, etc., you also need to prepare some aspects of life, such as hotels, supermarkets, etc., hotels If they have money, they can build it, but supermarkets are indeed a bit troublesome, because they require a large amount of purchasing different products. They don’t have the energy or ability to do this. If it is left to the big supermarket groups in Hong Kong, That's not bad, as long as it doesn't cause a loss of domestic foreign exchange.
"Okay, but we need to invest in building a factory. It's not just infrastructure, but more importantly people. If there are no corresponding qualified workers, I can't invest because it will affect the quality of my products." Chen Zhiwen said again.
"Then I wonder what kind of workers Chen Sheng needs?" Yuan Geng asked.
"Ordinary workers should ideally have attended junior high school and be able to recognize most Chinese characters. About 1,000 people are needed. In addition, about 100 people above high school are needed. If possible, some college students will be fine." Chen Zhiwen thought for a while and said , it’s probably a bit difficult for college students, but there’s no harm in asking it.
"1,000 junior high school students? 100 high school students?" Yuan Geng was a little surprised. This requirement is quite high. Even junior high school students can now get a good position in some domestic factories or government departments. High school students are the focus of training. As for college students? The Guangdong Provincial Party Committee is probably trying to get it.
"My products are mainly exported to supermarkets in Europe and the United States. Once quality problems occur, the losses will be huge. Therefore, the quality of employees is also required." Chen Zhiwen said, this is indeed true. If the quality cannot be guaranteed, then domestic Even if labor is free here, he will not come. Even if you are given a higher salary, you still need to select the best people. This is actually a microcosm of Shekou and even the special zone in the next few years. The wages in many factories are much higher than in the mainland. But the requirements for the quality of personnel are equally high. You must know that the number of junior high school students now may be smaller than the undergraduates in future generations. If they are asked to come to the workshop to tighten screws, the salary will naturally be high.
"I don't know, what factory is Chen Sheng planning to invest in Shekou? We can also report it to the superiors to win support from above." President Liang said.
"I want to invest in a factory with an annual output of 3 million fans here." Chen Zhiwen said.
The fan is a product that Midea does not intend to use to make money. It is also the first home appliance that can produce most of its components in-house. Under the ultimate operating mode, the cost has been reduced to very low, and the quality is also very good, at least it can meet the needs of The basic requirement for European and American customers is that it lasts for a year. Anyway, these rich people basically change one every year.
With extremely high cost performance and Chen Zhiwen's investment in the European and American terminal retail markets, Midea's electric fan orders are doubling every year. Last year, it exported 7.35 million fans, and this year's current orders are also year-on-year compared to last year. increased badly.
Although the current labor force in Hong Kong is not too expensive compared to Europe, America and Japan, it is a bit wasteful to produce fans. Not to mention that the sales of air conditioners and refrigerators are also gradually increasing, as well as the home game consoles and handheld consoles that may be about to take shape. It requires a lot of manual labor. Currently, these two devices have entered the final stage of research and development. After subsequent optimization and various tests, production can begin.
Midea's factory also urgently needs to transfer the electric fan project, which is the least profitable but the most labor-intensive. If the mainland does not open it, then Wanwan is a good choice, but now, it can naturally be placed in Shekou first.
"Three million electric fans? Will all of them be used for export?" President Liang's eyes lit up and he asked.
"Of course, can the mainland still allow me to sell goods?" Chen Zhiwen said with a smile. The policy in the early stage of reform was to use domestic labor and land to build OEM factories. This is the logic of "three to one supplement", but "three to one supplement" Products are not allowed to be sold domestically, unless they are necessary supplies that cannot be manufactured domestically, such as automobiles, industrial processing equipment, and precision instrument measuring equipment. Because such products have always been purchased directly in foreign exchange in the country, localized production not only You can save foreign exchange and maybe learn skills. This is the origin of "market for technology".
"I would like to ask, what is the ex-factory price of a Midea electric fan?" Yuan Geng hesitated for a moment, but still asked. He needed to know the specific value before reporting it to the superior.
"The ex-factory price is about US$4." Chen Zhiwen said that this is not a big secret. He is not the only manufacturer in Hong Kong that exports fans. The others are slightly more expensive. Midea's current advantage may lie more in its brand. It has been established, plus the advantages of technical quality control, and the terminal price in Europe and the United States is about 8-10 US dollars. With the salary of an ordinary person in the United States, it can buy a fan in half a day.
"Then the annual exports can be 12 million U.S. dollars?" Yuan Geng could hardly conceal his excitement. He didn't expect that Shekou would be able to get such investment before it started building an industrial zone. Although the contract has not yet been signed, as long as it is Reporting it will definitely attract attention.
You must know that the entire country's annual exports are only more than 10 billion US dollars, but most of them are oil and mineral resources, and the others are mainly agricultural products. There has been a serious foreign exchange deficit every year in the past two years. The current domestic foreign exchange The reserves are only a few hundred million U.S. dollars. If oil prices had not skyrocketed and Daqing Oilfield's export earnings had doubled, the domestic economy would have been even more difficult.
"Exports can reach more than 10 million US dollars, but a large part of them have to be imported from Hong Kong, such as the core motor of the fan. Unless there are enough talents here, it can only be done after being reviewed by the technology and quality department in Hong Kong. When we move here, in the early days, Shekou will mainly focus on assembly, and then gradually localize parts and components." Chen Zhiwen added. This is actually the process of Midea’s early development in Hong Kong.
"I understand. I will write to the central government immediately and ask them for people." Yuan Geng nodded and said. He has also worked in the foreign economy for several years and naturally knows the importance of quality. If there are not enough highly educated people, then Only the most basic assembly can be done.
"Okay, if the people arrive, they can be sent to Hong Kong. I need them to actually work in Hong Kong for a period of time, especially those high school students or college students." Chen Zhiwen added: "In this regard, Xinhua News Agency also needs help."
"No problem." President Liang nodded and said.
"If you can go to work in Hong Kong, it will be easier to attract people, and college students should be able to attract a lot of them." Yuan Geng also said that recently, the country is preparing to send a group of people to study in Europe and the United States, and a bunch of college students are crowded. I thought about it.
Hong Kong is indeed much worse than Europe and the United States in terms of technology and economy, but it is still a golden opportunity. At least it allows ordinary people to see the world and earn some foreign exchange.
"Okay, let's settle it like this first." Chen Zhiwen nodded and said, looked around again, and said with some pity: "This place is actually quite suitable for investment, but the area is a bit too small."
"2 square kilometers, does Mr. Chen still think it's small? How big does your factory need to be?" Yuan Geng asked.
"It is estimated to be 0.5 square kilometers, mainly because of the subsequent expansion of production capacity. If suitable, it can become 6 million or more in the future, or other products will also be produced here, so the area will not be enough." Chen Zhiwen said with a slight smile.
Chen Zhiwen attaches great importance to Shekou because it was the only place where foreign investors could build factories before 1986. Even in Shenhai City, which will be established in more than a month, foreign investment used to require joint ventures.
Of course, it is not absolute. If the investment is large enough and all products are exported, it is possible to negotiate. However, if you limit yourself in this way, it may become a trouble in the future. Moreover, the process requires central approval and the time is difficult to control, which is not conducive to preparation. The rapidly expanding Midea Group.
"What does Chen Sheng mean?" Yuan Geng was not sure what Chen Zhiwen meant.
"If the area here is large enough, I can consider transferring part of Hong Kong's talent here. It is estimated that exports can exceed US$100 million a year." Chen Zhiwen said lightly.
"100 million U.S. dollars?" Yuan Geng's eyes almost popped out. If Shekou wins this project, it is estimated that the exports of the entire eastern Guangdong Province will not be as good as its own industrial zone. If this really happens, I don't know what will happen. What an impact it has on the country.
"Is what Chen Sheng said true?" President Liang on the side almost stopped breathing.
"Of course, 100 million US dollars is nothing to Midea. President Liang should know very well." Chen Zhiwen said lightly. Shekou is too small now. This area is not enough for Midea's family. If Midea really wants to To do well in the mainland, we also need to transfer the relevant industrial chains. In addition, not only Midea, but also the large number of daily necessities orders from Galaxy Trading can also be used as a condition to persuade many bosses in Hong Kong to invest here, so that in the end It can also make Galaxy Trading’s prices more advantageous, which is also good for Costco.
China only allowed sole foreign ownership in 1986. For six years, Midea, Galaxy, and Costco could not wait in vain. Now the only place that can invest on a large scale is Shekou. It is still in the early stages and nothing has been finalized. At that time, he would need to provide enough temptation to let Yuan Geng and others go to the central government to apply for a larger area.
"Actually, the previous plan was to give me 30 square kilometers, but I was worried that the area was too big to be built, so I only asked for 2 square kilometers. But if Chen Sheng said so, I would go and get all the other land areas. Yuan Geng thought for a while and said.
"Then it's best. The bigger the area, the better. Things like industrial production capacity need to be highly concentrated to minimize costs and maximize efficiency. Anyway, it's a phase-by-phase development. You can still develop it first. This is the land we are on now." Chen Zhiwen nodded and said.
(End of chapter)
