The Industrial Giant Reborn

The time will soon be August.

Hong Kong, Harbor City, a typhoon hit, and the whole of Hong Kong was immersed in the torrential rain. Chen Zhiwen stood on the top floor of the building, in his office, looking at the Victoria Harbor not far outside and the Central Building opposite, feeling a sense of comfort The feeling is born from the heart, he especially likes to be in the house, watching the heavy rain outside, or when sleeping, he also has the same feeling, as long as he can't get himself wet, he is very happy.

"Dong dong dong" knocked on the door, and the person who came was Zhao Lilin, the current person in charge of Wharf, followed by Zhou Jiayang, who had just returned from the mainland.

"Old Zhou, it's only been less than two months. You've been tanned in China, aren't you? Old Zhao, which skin care product is better downstairs? I'll buy some for him later." Chen Zhiwen saw the change Zhou Jiayang, who was half black, said with a smile.

"Boss, don't laugh at me. I bought a bunch of sunscreens, but they're useless. Once you tan them, you'll get dark." Zhou Jiayang said with a bitter expression.

"The genes are like this, maybe." Chen Zhiwen said with a smile.

"It should be, there are quite a few people who ran around with me in the mainland, but I have the darkest tan." Zhou Jiayang said with a smile.

"It's been hard work during this time. How is Hutchison's domestic business going?" Chen Zhiwen took the two of them to the balcony. The fully enclosed balcony prevents raindrops from entering, but they can appreciate the surrounding scenery from a 270-degree angle. Views, sunny days can also block ultraviolet rays.

After sitting down, Zhou Jiayang said: "The construction of the Jingjintang Expressway has started, and ten road sections have started at the same time. I have seen all the routes that have passed. Except for a few waters and hills that will be a little troublesome, there will be nothing else. The big problem, the rest is time and funds, and there will always be some fluctuations in these two points.

The establishment of a local industrial chain for AMC is basically a discussion with AMC. It is good in all aspects, but there are too many auto parts projects, which leads to more and more funds invested here. If we continue to invest like this , I am afraid it will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. "

"Hundreds of millions is normal, and there will be more in the future. If 100 million US dollars can be settled, then the big car groups like Volkswagen will not be entangled in stopping and arguing with the mainland on various conditions." Chen Zhiwen He smiled and said: "Continue to invest according to the needs, as long as you can ensure that you are not losing money recently, have you communicated with the public?"

"We got in touch. We got in touch through the First Machinery Department. Volkswagen expressed interest in the parts company we invested in, and expressed their hope to cooperate with us, and will also provide certain technical support." Zhou Jiayang smiled. Said.

"Very well, this is the result I need most. With Volkswagen's technology and future orders, our investment will be more stable." Chen Zhiwen nodded and said.

In the automobile industry, Chen Zhiwen actually had a general direction for how to lay out.

First of all, first acquire an automobile company with a reasonable scale, average technology and a certain market. Guarantee the normal operation of this company, and then invest funds to develop the next generation of models or some technologies.

The follow-up is naturally to use this car company to enter the country. The reason for the acquisition of AMC is actually to fancy Jeep, because the current domestic market needs several types of models to be introduced. If you want to introduce your own car, you have to face it. Competition for the public, what a joke? Compete with the top ten auto giants in car technology? Are you courting death?

In the 1980s, there were actually only a few auto brands that entered the country. If you miss this window, you have to wait until around 1995. As for the auto companies that have already invested, they can continue to introduce other models.

Jeep is a good entry point. Many places and departments in China need such passable cars. In addition, this brand has been very famous decades ago. In other words, relying on the jeep, Chen Zhiwen got the ticket to enter the venue. Although it was only the ticket with the worst position, he got on the boat anyway. In the future, as long as the jeep is doing well, then AMC can be introduced again. Sedan models.

After entering the mainland, the localization of local parts is also the most important problem for any investment in domestic automobile cooperation car companies, such as Jeep itself, Volkswagen and GAC Peugeot in eastern Guangdong Province. However, Volkswagen and Peugeot are obviously unwilling to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in domestic parts to localize parts, so Hutchison can take this opportunity to do it first, and both Volkswagen and Peugeot are under the pressure of localization In this case, instead, it needs to rely on a bunch of parts companies developed with AMC and Hutchison's funds, and even those companies that Hutchison personally ended because they couldn't find a suitable investment target.

Once the orders from the domestic public are won, as long as these parts companies do not risk their lives and have major quality problems, they will basically embark on the route of prosperity in the future. The important thing is that these may be the embryonic form of the future domestic auto parts giants, but they all allow Hutchison to control a very high proportion of equity.

The entire investment, whether it is Hutchison, AMC, Volkswagen, future Peugeot, or the mainland, all parties will benefit, and no one will lose. Under the common interests, this cake will be made bigger and bigger. Wait until the 1990s, When other auto giants such as GM, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW also enter the mainland, these companies invested by Hutchison will also become the most suitable suppliers.

Of course, Japanese and Korean automobiles may be excluded. The automobile industries of these two countries always give priority to suppliers in their own countries, and external suppliers will at most have some soup. This point will not change until 40 years later.

Zhou Jiayang nodded and said: "If the public directly adopts our parts, they really don't need to consider too many localization issues. In fact, many car companies are like this. They operate in reverse like ours. It is estimated that the global monopoly This is an example."

"This case alone represents a monopoly. As long as the domestic economy improves in the future, the auto industry will definitely grow substantially, and we will control a small half of the auto industry. If AMC and Midea can form effective joint ventures in several special parts industries in the future Patents, then we are truly in the automotive industry.” Chen Zhiwen said with a light smile, if AMC can master some patents on turbocharging technology, and Midea can take root in the field of electronic technology, then all the layouts will be half completed. .

"Currently, there is such a trend. I also talked with a senior executive in the Asia-Pacific region of Volkswagen. They are always worried that the domestic economy will not develop, so they are unwilling to make large investments." Zhou Jiayang said.

"These people look down on us Chinese too much. As long as they really want to develop the economy, sooner or later, the domestic economic level will reach the level of today's Hong Kong or even better. At that time, some of them may regret it." Chen Zhiwen said with a smile .

In fact, Volkswagen has no regrets. After all, from now to the next 40 years, Volkswagen has made hundreds of billions of blood in China, while GM, Chrysler, and some non-German brands in Europe have more regrets, but whatever the case These brands have cultivated a complete set of industrial chains in China and laid the foundation for the rise of domestic cars. In this life, he has painstakingly invested so much money just to get a share of the future's largest auto market. At the same time, if you have the opportunity, you can also go out to earn money from abroad. Not to mention other things, if the van is made the same as the later Wuling, then there will definitely be a big market in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America. Later generations lack relevant sales channels.

"Based on the size of the country, if the per capita economy can be developed to the level of Hong Kong, the overall size may be very scary." Zhou Jiayang said.

"Sooner or later." Chen Zhiwen said, perhaps the average level is far inferior to that of Hong Kong at the same time, but it took only 20 years to reach 1981.

Zhao Lilin on the side said: "If the domestic economy can reach the current level of Hong Kong, will it be the same for real estate?"

"Theoretically speaking, the route traveled overseas will basically be followed in China, but the time may be a little different." Chen Zhiwen said.

In fact, the situation in Asia is similar. Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Hong Kong Bay Area, as long as the economy develops, the real estate industry will also grow. This is something that the human economy and society cannot escape. To preserve value, everyone must invest in some combination of "rigid demand", "large market capacity", and "industrial products that cannot be mass-produced", and real estate is the most suitable.

After all, when a large amount of money is invested in real estate, after the bubble is big, at least on the surface, all capital will increase together, while industry is the opposite. Too many people invest in industry without special technology. It's just that everyone dies together. In the city of Hong Kong, after the 1960s, various industries flourished, but after the 1980s, there were only real estate and finance. This is the fundamental reason.

As for Europe and the United States, they have actually gone this way a long time ago. The introduction of real estate tax later suppressed the trend of real estate speculation. However, they still make mistakes occasionally, such as the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008.

"Wouldn't that affect the many manufacturing industries we invested in?" Zhao Lilin asked. In Hong Kong, because of the sharp rise in housing prices, a lot of industries have left the Bay or Southeast Asia overnight.

"Don't worry, the country is so big, and it's still early for the whole people to have high housing prices. At that time, let's talk about it." Chen Zhiwen said indifferently.

In fact, when the economy develops to a certain level, real estate will naturally rise sharply, which will cause the industry to flee, and the middle class trap will appear in this country or region. The only solution is to upgrade the industry and seize a large number of high-end industries. It can be crossed, but this is something that will happen 40 years later, so there is no need to think so much.

"Chen Sheng, speaking of the land price, the Hong Kong government recently sent us an invitation letter. They are planning to auction the land of the Central Bus Terminal. They sent a letter to inform us to know if we are interested." Zhao Lilin said.

"Central Bus Terminal, near Kangle Building, this is the king of Central Land." Chen Zhiwen said.

There are still a few very high-quality locations in Hong Kong’s Central District, but no buildings have been built, such as the former fire station, the former site of the British Naval Barracks, and the Central Bus Terminal. The location that was randomly selected decades ago has now become all real estate. The land king in Shang's eyes.

"I feel that the Hong Kong government's rumor at this time is probably to create a new record for the highest land price and restore confidence in the real estate market. There have been media analysis before that the price of this land may exceed 7 billion Hong Kong dollars." Zhao Lilin analyzed.

"7 billion Hong Kong dollars, 1.4 billion U.S. dollars, just a piece of land of 148,000 square feet (about 15,000 square meters), this land price is really the first in the world." Chen Zhiwen said with a smile, although the future transaction price will not be so high, But it still broke the world record. Even at the peak of Japan's real estate bubble in the future, few lands in Ginza, Tokyo could have this price, and decades later in the mainland, even Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, did not break this record.

Zhou Jiayang said: "The current housing prices in Hong Kong are crazy, but the consortiums such as the Hong Kong government, Jardine, Swire, Carrian, and Hang Lung obviously want to raise land prices. We have also participated in some large-scale real estate projects together, and it is estimated that they want to drag us into the water."

"The more we get to this time, the more we have to hold back. The housing prices in Hong Kong cannot last for too long." Chen Zhiwen said with a smile.

"Then we won't participate. In two days, I will formally send a letter to the Land Supervision Bureau of the Hong Kong Government." Zhao Lilin said.

"No, let's participate. I need to create momentum for this event and increase the price of this piece of land. Only in this way can it be worthy of buying land." Chen Zhiwen shook his head and said with a smile.

"What Chen Sheng means is to let China Land take over the land, and we go to increase the transaction price?" Zhao Lilin and Zhou Jiayang immediately understood what the boss meant.

"Yes, the current Hong Kong Land is a good friend in the real estate market, and I am helping him." Chen Zhiwen said: "In addition, tell the people at the Land Supervision Bureau of the Hong Kong Government that my funds may increase next year. Large-scale overseas investment, if this piece of land is not auctioned this year, it may be missed.”

As in history, after losing Wharf, Jardine and Hongkong ensured their own safety through the mutual control (mutual shareholding) model of Jardine Land, and then immediately entered the mode of large-scale investment rampage, purchasing a large number of land and buildings , Acquisition of some companies to expand their scale, with the intention of making Landmark one of the super giants in Hong Kong.

However, in the original history, Landmark should acquire Hongkong Electric early next year, but now that Hongkong Electric is acquired by itself, the debt scale of Hongkong Land will inevitably decrease. Therefore, Chen Zhiwen needs to push behind it.

As for telling the Land Supervision Bureau of the Hong Kong government about investing overseas next year, it is of course a lie. The main purpose is to sell this piece of land this year, because by the beginning of next year, the land price in Hong Kong will obviously decline, even if it is not bad this year. The price of commercial land will also be reduced. In the original history, this land was auctioned in 1982, and the result was only 4.755 billion Hong Kong dollars, which was more than 2 billion Hong Kong dollars less than the estimated price of the media in 1981.

And if it is auctioned this year, Hongkong Land is so active, once it takes over, it will have an additional debt of more than 2 billion.

"Okay, I understand." Zhao Lilin nodded. Naturally, he knew that the boss was not optimistic about the real estate market, and he asked for an early auction, obviously to dig a hole for China Land.