In 1978, I was admitted to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 150 Capital is greedy, but they still won't give up on importing garbage for $358
"Follow the original progress and ignore him."

Hearing Xie Wei's answer, Mo Lingyu just nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Although Xie Wei appears in class every day, he rarely has time to communicate with her. In this case, the morning run becomes an opportunity for Xie Wei to communicate with Mo Lingyu.

Naturally, she would not miss the opportunity to communicate with Xie Wei.

"Hey, this kid didn't come to the door?"

After waiting for three consecutive days, Liang Hongbin still didn't see Xie Wei come to see him, and he couldn't help but feel puzzled.

Based on his understanding of Xie Wei's character, Xie Wei should take the initiative to come to him to explain.

Xie Wei even started to skip Liang Hongbin's engineering control class again.

"Xiao Mo, didn't you tell Xie Wei that the radio project needed to be accelerated?"

In desperation, Liang Hongbin could only ask Mo Lingyu.

"You said so and I told the monitor the next morning."

Mo Lingyu didn't say that he didn't need to pay attention to what Xie Wei said. "The squad leader said that he is busy these days, so let's continue with the previous progress."

"..."

Looking at Mo Lingyu, Liang Hongbin felt helpless.

After thinking about it, he finally decided not to look for Xie Wei.

The principal told him: Xie Wei asked to distribute all the profits from the previous calculators to several fighter jet-related projects, but he had no good intentions.

If the principal really doesn't want to, can a young man like Xie Wei influence him?

"He has his considerations. It may seem like a lot of money, but for each sub-project of the fighter jet project, each can get hundreds of thousands. The school only gave 100 million in start-up funds before..."

During dinner, Liang Hongbin complained that Xie Wei's elbows were bent outward, and Du Guowang comforted him in this way.

"It's difficult for him. He needs to take all aspects into consideration."

Liang Hongling also spoke up for Xie Wei.

By now, she had given up on letting Xie Wei specialize in mathematical research.

Fortunately, Xie Rou’s talent is no less than Xie Wei’s, and her personality is also suitable for mathematical research.

"It's not that I'm not conscious, but I just can't figure it out. With limited funding, it would be easier for people to accept if he invested the money in the business expansion of the school-enterprise partnership."

Liang Hongbin naturally knew the purpose of Xie Wei's doing this.

As new students are about to arrive at the school, the school’s already established Aeronautics and Astronautics Department has three recruiting majors, two of which are aircraft-related.

Two classes don’t require many teachers, but school-related research requires a large number of people.

With the previous funding of 100 million, the four projects of pneumatics, control system, radar and engine could only receive 25 for each. Even if it was just theoretical research, how long could it last?
Funds have long been stretched.

The school’s own people are fine, but most of the research related to fighter jets is done by personnel seconded from other units!

Without more funding, we can’t go on.

"Now it's not just these projects. The army has handed over the unmanned target drone improvement project to the school. At the same time, the funds required for research related to air-to-air missiles and air defense missiles are simply not enough..."

Liang Hongbin sighed.

The financial pressure is huge.

"That's the principal's concern."

Du Guowang said irresponsibly.

"The problem is that the principal has been trying to get funding, so Xie Wei's time and energy have been diverted!"

This is the fundamental reason why Liang Hongbin wants Xie Wei to speed up the progress of the radio project.

Du Guowang and Liang Hongling both stopped talking.

Knowing Li Rui's plans for Xie Wei's future, they still hoped that Xie Wei could engage in technology.

After long-term contact, they realized that Xie Wei had his own ideas and would not develop according to their plans at all.

"It's useless for us to just sit there and worry. Xie Wei is different from other students. He knows what he is doing."

Liang Hongling's words ended the conversation tonight.

She got up and went straight to the study.

Du Guowang and Liang Hongbin lost interest in continuing the conversation.

Shanghai Stock Exchange.

The Shanghai Foreign Trade Bureau is not far from the Peace Hotel.

A fierce negotiation is underway.

The two parties in the negotiation were three foreigners under the banner of HP and Chen Xiangtong, the deputy director of the Foreign Trade Bureau, a deputy director in charge of import business and two section chiefs.

The content of the negotiation was the calculator.

"Chen, you have to understand that we are negotiating with you about the export of calculators in order to help your country's technological development. Whether it is the price or other factors, we have fully demonstrated our sincerity. The price of 358 dollars per calculator is already very cheap... You know, technology is priceless! Especially the technological products banned by COCOM..."

Miles Stick, who claimed to be the general manager of HP's Asia branch, was full of dissatisfaction.

The price of $358, they thought, was extremely low.

Although the price of this calculator has been reduced to less than $300 in the international market.

The Chinese market is different.

Calculators, which can speed up calculations in various scientific research projects, are banned by Batumi.

Now that they are here, there won't be any big problems with Batumi. After all, they are just doing the most basic calculations and can't even calculate functions.

After several years of market user feedback, this most basic calculator does not promote basic scientific research as much as imagined.

The latest calculators that can calculate complex functions are the ones that can truly promote the development of science and technology.

That kind of thing is not open to the Chinese market.

Exporting outdated products to the Chinese market and making a fortune is in line with Western interests.

"Mr. Miles, we have deeply felt your sincerity, which is why we have no big objection to the price. The Chinese market is very large. Setting up a factory in our country will not only allow you to have cheaper manpower and material resources, but also reduce your freight costs..."

“No, we only sell finished products!”

Miles Stick looked determined.

The biggest disagreement between the two parties was not about the price, but that the Shanghai import and export trading company hoped that the other party could provide technology and funds for domestic production.

In order to attract investment, Chen Xiangtong did not even make much of the other party's obviously very high offer.

Introduce technology, digest it, train your own technical team, and then develop more advanced products based on it...

This is what Chen Xiangtong thinks.

However, the other party simply did not accept it.

Today is the fourth round of negotiations between the two sides, and there is still no progress.

"Everyone, since our differences are still huge, there will be no results if we continue to talk. Why not suspend the negotiations first..."

Gan Ning, deputy director of the Foreign Trade Bureau, spoke up.

This situation of wrangling will continue for who knows how many rounds.

No one will give in easily anymore.

"OK!"

Miles Stick nodded with a relaxed look on his face. For him, the conditions would never be changed, even if they were really coveting the huge Chinese market.

With the existence of COCOM, if they don't export, no company will dare to export calculators, otherwise they will face sanctions from the COCOM Committee.

HP was able to do so because it convinced the relevant personnel of the Batumi Committee and stated that it would only export the lowest-end calculators that were not of much use to scientific research and could only be used in basic data statistics, financial calculations and other fields.

"Boss, the Chinese don't seem to accept our terms. Are we just going to keep wasting time like this?"

One of his subordinates felt that this kind of wrangling was a waste of time. "How about we just follow their request and invest in building a factory, arrange for management and technical personnel to produce in China, and then provide products to their market?"

In the eyes of many of his subordinates, there was nothing unacceptable about this.

It has begun to face challenges from many international competitors. Its low-end product does not have much technical content and its production cost has been reduced to less than $40, but some people are willing to accept it at a price of $358. It is simply giving money to them!
"Yes, Boss. Even if we provide the production technology and let them produce, as long as we control the supply of the most core chips, even if the cooperative production cannot proceed in the end, they will not be able to make any waves!"

Another subordinate also looked puzzled.

In his opinion, there was nothing unacceptable in the other party's conditions.

It's just giving money to them!

"Everyone, I know what you think! Not only you, but even I don't want to continue arguing. But Batumi..."

Miles Stick held his cigar between two fingers and sighed.

He didn't know what the masters in Batumi were thinking.

It cost millions of dollars to convince them to allow HP calculators, which we represented, to enter the Chinese market!
In fact, they don't have any technology.

Miles Stick was not an HP employee either, but a broker.

After discovering the huge potential of the Chinese market, he almost spent all his money to acquire the Chinese agency rights for HP, and then established connections with Batumi, allowing him to export to the Chinese market on the grounds that his products were outdated.

As a result, the Chinese are unwilling to just buy finished products, and the condition for accepting high prices is that the other party invests in building factories in China!

How to build a factory?

There is no technology and no funds.

The technology is not complicated, but HP did not authorize them to produce it, let alone provide technical support.

"Let's talk about it again. If it doesn't work, just lower the price!"

Miles Stick looked serious.

“How low?”

One of the men asked with a frown.

If they fail to win business in China, they will not be able to gain much profit either.

"298 dollars! It's the same as HP's retail price in the international market, which is equivalent to about 450 yuan. Such a big discount should make their person in charge excited."

Miles Stick looked very painful after seeing such a big price reduction.

If the price of each calculator is reduced by $100, if units are sold, the loss will be a million dollars!

How can I make him not feel pain?

In his opinion, with such a price concession, the other party would sign the contract without hesitation.

Calculators involve large-scale integrated circuits and some relatively advanced computer technologies, which the Chinese should not reject.

The main thing is that the function is really good.

Compared with the tedious and complicated calculation method used by Chinese people using abacus, which requires a certain level of professional skills, it is really convenient.

"This is really too much! In the international market, this calculator, which was launched seven years ago, is already outdated and is not very helpful for scientific research projects..."

A section chief couldn't help but complain after the negotiations ended and the two sides parted ways.

"They have the technology, but we don't. Calculators are indeed very helpful for basic mathematical calculations... Although our abacus calculations can be more accurate, what about the actual situation?"

Gan Ning's words made everyone silent.

You don’t have it but others do, and you want it.

Being blackmailed is inevitable.

"We have accepted their offer!"

The section chief looked unwilling.

Although it is sold for $300 on the international market, in fact, the price is very low when purchased in large quantities.

From the very beginning, HP's calculator, which only had computing functions, was launched on the market and sold out almost all over the world.

There is never a shortage of followers in the capital world. Seeing HP's success, various competitors began to develop similar products and quickly brought them to market.

The international market has long been the scene of fierce competition.

The calculators that originally cost a few hundred dollars have actually been reduced to around $100.

The reason why all suppliers quote Chinese customers $300 is only because of the existence of Batumi!
The Shanghai Foreign Trade Bureau's desire to introduce calculators was not a whim. It has been paying attention to the matter in recent years and has some understanding of the international situation.

Even so, they still agreed to the price of $358 per unit, only because the relevant units in Shanghai wanted to make a big move: Shanghai's electronic industrial base is the most concentrated and best in the country. The importance of computers has begun to emerge.

The calculator can be seen as the most basic computer.

Nowadays, the computing capabilities of a small handheld calculator are even more powerful than those of the first generation of supercomputers!

How much time can be saved and development accelerated by using all systems in the country that require computing?

As a result, they have accepted the other party's high price, but the other party is not willing to operate in accordance with the "three-in-one" trade proposed by the reform and opening up, and only wants to make money from the domestic market with its outdated products!
"They want more! That's what capitalism is all about."

Chen Xiangtong sighed.

"Director Chen, why don't we just give up? It's really not worthwhile to waste foreign exchange just for a small calculator."

Gan Ning didn't want to talk to the other party anymore.

The other party has no sincerity at all.

"If they agree to set up factories in China, at least they can provide us with more jobs, train our technicians and skilled workers, and even promote the development of integrated circuits... If we accept the current conditions, we will not get any benefits."

Gan Ning's words are almost everyone's truest thoughts.

"Just wait."

Chen Xiangtong's voice was full of powerlessness.

When I got back to the office, the secretary came to report: "Director Chen, there is a man named Li Rui who claims to be your old classmate. He is here on a business trip and wants to ask if you have time to get together."

"Li Rui?"

Chen Xiangtong frowned and recalled for a long time.

I do have a college classmate named Li Rui, but we haven't been in touch since graduation.

"Yes, he claims to be the president of Harbin Institute of Technology..."

Chen Xiangtong was just about to ask his secretary to reject the other party. He was already feeling upset. Even if they were college classmates and they hadn't been in touch for so many years, they might suddenly come to him just to make things easier for him.

When Chen Xiangtong heard that Li Rui was the president of Harbin Institute of Technology, he changed his mind instantly.

The other party is the president of a university, not the leader of a factory. He doesn't have any products to export, so he shouldn't be asking for help from me.

I haven’t seen my old classmates for decades, but the friendship we had back then was sincere, so I still should meet them.

At least, it can relieve the frustration caused by unsuccessful negotiations with foreigners.

"where is he?"

After the secretary told him the time, Chen Xiangtong thought for a moment and said, "Well, you can go to the nearby Peace Hotel to make some arrangements. I'll invite him privately tonight."

(End of this chapter)