In 1978, I was admitted to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 216 Advanced technology was the source of the Japanese devils' arrogance.

"Do you think I wanted to do this? If I didn't want to see the country suffer huge losses, I wouldn't be doing this thankless task!"

Li Rui said to the group in an annoyed tone.

In order to avoid competing with international telecommunications providers, Xie Wei did not even consider vying for the project, even though he knew that Fuzhou was in contact and negotiating with national telecommunications giants from multiple countries.

The school's program-controlled switchboard has a much smaller capacity than those of these telecommunications giants.

Even funding is insufficient.

"But... Fuzhou probably won't accept your proposal. They need too many small switches, and it's not feasible to do it all at once..."

One official said, "Don't let yourself feel resentful later."

Am I that kind of person?

Li Rui raised an eyebrow, enraged.

Seeing the expressions of certainty on the faces of the people staring at him, Principal Li was speechless.

"Okay~"

He knew his reputation was so bad that people who knew him were wary of him.

Too lazy to argue, he said, "This time is different. I owe the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications a favor, and I not only have to repay that favor, but also help the country save money... Of course, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has also agreed to give me some projects..."

Li Rui told the truth.

If we don't proactively offer our solutions to Fuzhou, we'll definitely be subject to technical blackmail here.

If we ask the Fuzhou Post and Telecommunications Bureau to use Harbin Institute of Technology's switch network solution, starting with the lowest-level branch offices, they definitely won't agree.

Harbin was chosen because Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) is located in their city, so they had to support it; Chengdu was chosen to attract more projects from HIT's university-enterprise cooperation office.

What can be found in Fuzhou?
As Li Rui said, it was not only to repay the favor to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, but also to tell the international telecommunications giants that China had already entered the market, and if they continued to extort money, they would miss their chance.

Seven countries, eight companies—some of them are bound to give up.

Capital has always been about obtaining higher returns.

Post office.

meeting room.

After Luo Dong returned and saw the construction plan that Li Rui had given him, he was tempted for a moment because he didn't want to be blackmailed by international telecommunications giants.

But he knew he couldn't make that decision.

The goal is to introduce the most advanced technologies from around the world, in one step. This is not only the city's intention, but also the province's, in order to make Fuzhou one of the second batch of pilot cities for reform in China as soon as possible.

Therefore, he first convened relevant personnel from the post and telecommunications bureau for an internal discussion.

"We didn't even hear a whisper about the fact that China now has a program-controlled telephone exchange. Harbin Institute of Technology made a technological breakthrough, and it wasn't even reported in the newspapers?"

After reviewing the proposal, some people immediately raised questions.

Everyone in the conference room immediately turned their attention to him.

"This is a very good way to promote the university. Although the college entrance examination has been reinstated for three years, apart from universities like the University of Science and Technology of China, even Harbin Institute of Technology, which is a key university, is only well-known in Northeast China, not nationwide!"

The cadre who raised the question explained his reasons.

Program-controlled exchanges are definitely cutting-edge technology.

It is a key need of the country.

Having achieved a technological breakthrough, the government will certainly publicize it extensively. After the news is published, not only will the school gain recognition, but relevant departments will also definitely provide it with significant support.

"Harbin Institute of Technology may have its own considerations. Their proposal doesn't demonstrate any intention to secure our project..."

Luo Dong shook his head.

He didn't understand what Li Rui meant either.

“We are negotiating with international telecommunications giants to introduce the central office’s core switching system. The branch offices and sub-offices do not need high-capacity switches. Is it possible that they are targeting the switching business of the sub-offices?”

"We're having trouble even raising funds right now!"

"They just gave us a proposal, but didn't explain anything..."

Seeing that no one could offer any constructive suggestions, and no one even suggested using this project to force international suppliers to lower their prices, Luo Dong couldn't help but feel disappointed.

This is the best opportunity ever.

Whether or not to use the switches from Harbin Institute of Technology is a matter for later.

Disappointed, Luo Dong tapped his fingers on the desk. "Since everyone is undecided, I'll go find Principal Li to get some information..."

If I had known, I wouldn't have rushed back.

Soon, Luo Dong found Li Rui.

Li Rui was not surprised at all that he had come to find him.

Faced with Luo Dong's questioning, Li Rui said irritably, "Do you think we don't know? We're already being targeted by international giants. They can sell products we don't have at high prices, while they can supply the products we do have at low prices. How can domestic products still have a market?"

"That……"

"We owe the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications a favor. If we don't get them to lower the prices, and the prices you import are too high, what about the other cities?"

At this moment, Li Rui was only considering the interests of the country, not the interests of the school.

"As for the newspaper ad, don't rush it. If we put it in the newspaper now, they simply won't believe it. We need your cooperation..."

Li Rui shared his thoughts.

"Should we send someone to Harbin?"

Luo Dong instantly understood Li Rui's meaning. Only in this way would international suppliers have no idea what capacity of switch Harbin Institute of Technology had actually developed, and thus make concessions in negotiations for the sake of the market.

"If it takes a few more months, their price will drop further after our school's 2000-line program-controlled exchange is successfully completed."

Li Rui said calmly.

"Principal Li, do you need us to order miniature switches?"

"We don't need your business! The goal is to get international telecommunications giants to lower their prices and establish factories in China. This will not only attract foreign investment but also reduce our already tight foreign exchange needs."

Li Rui said calmly.

He came all the way here in person, wasn't it for this very reason?

Since he had not yet resigned as principal and had not yet secured a new job, Principal Li naturally wanted to secure as many benefits as he could for the school.

This was an exchange with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications will allocate a portion of the market to support the development of the switchboard business under the School-Enterprise Cooperation Office.

"Did the president of Harbin Institute of Technology really say that? Why hasn't the ministry issued any word about it?"

After talking with Li Rui, Luo Dong immediately reported to the city.

The city took this matter very seriously and immediately reported it to the province. Thanks to the fact that they were all in the same city, the relevant leaders of the province and the postal administration quickly convened a meeting.

"Sir, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has negotiated with several international telecommunications giants, and our project application has been approved..."

Luo Dong understood this point.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications is unlikely to issue any instructions under the current circumstances.

If changes are made, what happens to the already approved projects?
"Also, Harbin has previously contacted Fujitsu and NEC, and the proposed solution is for Japan to provide loans..." Luo Dong also introduced the situation that Harbin Post and Telecommunications Bureau was preparing to introduce a large-scale advanced process control switch, which he learned from Li Rui.

This immediately made all the leaders realize how high the chances of the plan succeeding were.

They were already planning this from the very beginning!
"In that case, let's stop all contact and negotiations with Fujitsu and other companies for now, send someone to Harbin, and also leak the information to them..."

After learning the details from Luo Dong, and after discussion, many leaders believed that since the negotiations were at an impasse, they should send someone to Harbin to put on a show for the other side.

If the other party doesn't budge, it's not impossible that we might just give up on the deal altogether.

Even with the entire province helping to raise foreign exchange, it still wasn't enough.

So, under deliberate arrangement, several cadres from the Fuzhou Post and Telecommunications Bureau and a few people arranged by the municipal government formed an inspection team and headed to Harbin in a grand manner.

The message was deliberately arranged and reached Matsuda Ichimoto, who was staying at the West Lake Hotel, the next day.

"They think they can get us to lower our demands with this smokescreen? Dream on! Nakamura, ignore them and book your tickets back home! If they're using this negotiation tactic, we can do the same!"

Matsuda Ichiban sneered.

Such a clumsy negotiation tactic, it's a wonder the other party even used it.

Aren't you ashamed?
Jiro Nakamura looked worried: "Minister, this might not be their strategy this time."

"Oh? Did you get some information?"

Matsuda looked at his trusted subordinate with a puzzled expression.

"Their destination is Harbin. The Harbin Post and Telecommunications Bureau had previously contacted NEC, hoping that NEC could help them seek domestic loans..."

Jiro Nakamura has connections with NEC.

One of NEC's mid-level managers happened to be his classmate. With both sides preparing to expand into the Chinese market, they weren't worried about the leakage of trade secrets at all—the market was too big for any one company to handle.

While international telecommunications giants haven't formed an alliance, it's an unspoken understanding that they all want to earn higher profits from the massive Chinese market.

"Is your concern that Harbin has stopped contacting NEC?"

After listening, Matsuda asked Nakamura Jiro with a relaxed expression.

"Perhaps they already have an alternative..."

"impossible!"

Matsuda rudely interrupted Nakamura, saying with a disdainful look, "Nakamura, you're good at everything, except you're too cautious."

He paused here, observing Nakamura's expression.

Seeing that Nakamura still looked worried, Matsuda Ichiban felt that he had to teach this subordinate he valued a lesson.

"The whole world knows what China's industrial base is like! We don't even have high-capacity crossbar switching technology; we're three generations ahead of them! How do you think they can skip two generations of technology? Program-controlled switches involve not only electronic technology but also integrated circuits and computer technology... These are precisely the things that China lacks the most!"

Matsuda looked completely relaxed.

He must have done his part to be sent to China by the company to develop the market.

If he didn't understand the state of China's technological and industrial base, he wouldn't have dared to quote such a high price and wouldn't have stuck to his guns.

"They lack the technical foundation. Otherwise, they wouldn't have continued to contact us even after we tripled the price... Other companies are also aware of the situation; otherwise, some would have already signed contracts with them..."

Matsuda makes a lot of sense.

But Nakamura always felt that things weren't that simple.

"As for the business in Harbin, NEC isn't stupid... If they provide a loan and then get the business, how will they repay it? What's the point of repaying it in RMB?"

That shouldn't be the case.

Nakamura wanted to refute, but seeing the minister's confident expression, he ultimately didn't voice his doubts.

“Your Excellency, perhaps we should wait a moment? Let me ask my classmate again…”

"Alright! Ask as soon as possible, entertainment in China is so lacking!"

Matsuda did not refute his subordinate's suggestion, wanting to convince him wholeheartedly, and he would understand once he understood the situation.

······
"Mayor Wang, didn't we agree before that we would wait until the verification was completed before paying?"

Upon seeing the remittance slip for 600 million, Xie Wei looked at Wang Cheng with a puzzled expression.

The cooperation between the school-enterprise cooperation office and the post and telecommunications bureau resulted in the Harbin municipal government sending money to them.
No matter how you look at it, something seems wrong.

"Just tell us if you want the 600 million. If you're not in a hurry, we'll give the 600 million to other projects... You know, there are quite a few units in the city that need funding."

Wang Cheng looked helpless.

The city doesn't want to give that money.

There was no other way; the 600 million yuan came partly from the province and partly from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. The higher authorities required that the funds be used specifically to support the research and development of Harbin Institute of Technology's program-controlled exchange technology.

"Comrade Xie Wei, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications hopes that our project can be accelerated so that the switches can be replaced as soon as possible and the effects can be seen... Could it be that there is a problem with the solution?"

Kim Hyo-ryeon, standing to the side, looked displeased; he couldn't wait to end the cooperation with Harbin Institute of Technology.

His head wound has healed, but the scar is still there.

I didn't want to come, but it was arranged by my superiors.

Opposition is useless.

"The plan is definitely fine! Director Wang, allocate this 600 million to the production workshop first, and let the training workshop stop other businesses that can be suspended first, and produce the switches needed by the city."

How can you refuse money that's offered to you?

Even though he found the other party's attitude strange, Xie Wei couldn't just stand by and watch a huge sum of 600 million yuan slip away.

The school-enterprise cooperation office really doesn't have much income anymore.

With the opening of this year's Canton Fair, orders for daily chemical products from Huadu Oil and Chemical Plant, sanitary napkins from the School-Enterprise Office, rice cookers from Hongguang Plant, calculators and electronic watches from Huafeng Electronics have further increased.

All units need to add production lines!

This made it difficult for the school-enterprise cooperation office to withdraw cash from the units that previously provided funding for a long time.

The 800 million yuan from Chengdu must be spent in Chengdu.

The 600 million yuan from Harbin City can be said to have solved the urgent problem for the school-enterprise cooperation office.

"Xie Wei, could there be any problems with this? When did the Harbin municipal government become so enthusiastic? Jin Xiaolian has always been against cooperating with us, thinking our switch capacity is too small..."

After Wang Cheng left, Wang Zheng looked worried.

I have a feeling that Harbin City has some kind of conspiracy behind giving that 600 million yuan.

Especially Jin Xiaolian, whose head was cracked open by Principal Zhang with a wine bottle.

"who cares."

Xie Wei really couldn't understand what the problem was.

Money that's handed to you shouldn't be returned.

"By the way, the inspection team from the Fuzhou Telephone Bureau will arrive at the school tomorrow. Is our school's switch network ready yet?"

"What?"

Xie Wei thought he had misheard.

An inspection team from the Fuzhou Telephone Bureau?
(End of this chapter)