In 1978, I was admitted to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 274 Five hundred million dollars isn't enough! We need to sell some bombers to Iraq.
Liu Debao and the others were eager to agree to Abdullah's request.

This deal is definitely worth it.

The group knew that Xie Wei had previously thought the offer was too low and were afraid that he might try to take advantage of the other party, which could backfire.

In fact, it's not just about this transaction alone; if we include the $3 million that General Abdullah purchased previously, the total amount would be $8 million, and there's still a lot of room for inflation.

What's wrong with giving away less than $1800 million worth of individual soldier weapons?
Secretary Liu believes that if he encountered such a client, it would be worthwhile to give away not just this much, but even 2 million worth of weapons.

The country can obtain much-needed foreign exchange.

The research and development team can obtain funding for continuous research, and even funding to support research on other projects.

Production units can obtain production tasks and funding for technological upgrades...

This deal kills many birds with one stone. Even if the higher-ups knew, they would probably be eager to send more weapons to facilitate the contract.

Xie Wei was ultimately too young.

"General, we need to discuss this matter and also consult with our superiors..."

Seeing Xie Wei looking at him with a troubled expression, Zhang Mingqiu knew very well that Xie Wei, being so shrewd, couldn't possibly be unaware of the immense benefits of agreeing to the other party's request.

"Okay, we hope you can give us a reply as soon as possible. We are very pressed for time."

Abdullah knew he couldn't expect the other party to agree immediately, so he added, "I'm just one of the people involved in the arms procurement. Since taking office, the president has been committed to developing the economy and enhancing national defense capabilities, and has dispatched several teams to procure weapons and equipment..."

He was deliberately putting pressure on the other party.

This was hardly a secret. It was no secret that since becoming president, Saddam Hussein had been sending his trusted confidants to purchase various weapons and equipment from the Soviet Union and European powers.

The Soviet Union, in particular, was Iraq's main supplier of weapons and equipment, even before Saddam Hussein became president.

"Xie Wei, is there a problem?"

As soon as they came out, Liu Debao couldn't wait to ask Xie Wei, "This is $5 million. They're no longer pursuing the solid fuel formula and production process, and they haven't haggled over the price much..."

"This is the largest military sales order in the country, and the benefits it brings are not limited to solving the school's funding problem."

Zhang Mingqiu also spoke up.

"Many factories will also benefit..."

Even Yulihua couldn't hold back anymore.

Seeing the worry on their faces, Xie Wei looked up at the sky speechlessly.

Yes, the sun is very bright.

"Gentlemen, although I am also eager for this cooperation, it involves a $5 million foreign arms sale. Shouldn't we exercise some restraint?"

"..."

The group was taken aback.

"Isn't it because there's something wrong with the conditions they proposed?"

Liu Debao asked in shock, "Just for what you call modesty?"

"Why not?"

Xie Wei said irritably, "If we agree too easily, they might make other demands. Abdullah's request for solid fuel might have been a cover for their true purpose."

Upon hearing this, the group realized that it made sense.

"Furthermore, Abdullah should also have access to new equipment procurement contracts..."

"besides?"

The faces of the group were full of surprise; the total was $8 million!

Is the other side really that extravagant in purchasing weapons and equipment?

"Let's wait and see. We need approval from our superiors before we can sign a contract with them."

Xie Wei glanced at You Lihua.

Seeing this, Liu Debao wanted to say something, but in the end he only moved his lips and didn't say anything.

The next day, Abdullah left Kazakhstan for the capital, but Shewe didn't know what he was going to do.

Yulihua, who stayed at the school, accompanied Abdullah and his group as they left.

Just as Secretary Liu and Principal Zhang were having a "headache" over the hundreds of millions of yuan in funding they were about to receive, Huo Guoqiang and Lin Tao came to their door again, complaining from the very beginning about the difficulties the factory was facing...

"Gentlemen, it's not that the school is being unreasonable, but the new person in charge of the school-enterprise partnership hasn't been appointed yet, so Xie Wei is temporarily in charge. Comrade Xie Wei has also made it clear... this is the school's research funding..."

The other party somehow heard that Harbin Institute of Technology was about to sign another $5 million contract, and wanted the university to increase its investment in Factory 122, while also demanding a reduction in interest rates and the proportion of investment shares.

"Principal Zhang, the factory is really struggling to survive..."

Huo Guoqiang continued to complain.

"..."

Zhang Mingqiu simply stopped talking.

They make it sound like everyone's doing well. Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) seems to have hundreds of millions of yuan in funding right now, but who outsiders know that HIT has several projects that are like money-devouring monsters?
People have always only seen the thief eating meat, but never the thief getting beaten.

"Principal Zhang, since the conditions for cooperation cannot be lowered, I wonder if some adjustments can be made in other aspects?"

Seeing that Zhang Mingqiu was about to see the guest off, Lin Tao hurriedly spoke up.

Are you kidding me? How can you let someone be sent away before even revealing their purpose?

Factory 122 held several days of discussions and they all understood that Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) would not lower its cooperation conditions. In fact, they had received information that many other organizations were preparing to seek cooperation with HIT.

Perhaps "profiting from others' misfortunes" would be a more accurate description.

However, this does not prevent some organizations from genuinely seeking cooperation with Harbin Institute of Technology.

"??"

Zhang Mingqiu and Liu Debao looked at them with suspicion.

"We're having a really tough time right now. With the Z-5 helicopter production halted, we've run out of planned orders. We haven't received any new orders for the Y-11 either, and there aren't many orders for other products either. We're just relying on some processing work, and we can't even afford to pay the salaries of all the factory's staff..."

Lin Tao said with a sorrowful expression.

Zhang Mingqiu didn't respond, but just looked at the other person.

Can't people be more direct when they interact with each other?

Look at Abdullah, his $5 million business didn't involve the kind of protracted negotiations that happen in international military trade.

"so what?"

Liu Debao squinted at Lin Tao, his eyes full of amusement.

"Could you find a way to get some export business for our products?"

Lin Tao nervously presented their request.

Harbin Institute of Technology is the most successful in selling weapons and equipment nationwide. In such a short period of time, it has secured nearly $10 billion in military orders, and some of these orders were even placed without complete samples of the equipment.

How could Factory 122 not be tempted?

"Get into export business?"

Liu Debao was even more puzzled.

"Yes. The year before last, the Third Ministry of Machinery Industry designated us as an open unit, and the H-5, Z-5, and Y-11 were designated as open factories... However, due to the lack of experienced market development personnel, we haven't received any orders to date..."

Huo Guoqiang also spoke up, "You are good at dealing with foreign clients. If you can help us get some orders, I think it will be easier for both of us to cooperate."

Harbin Institute of Technology, which focuses on scientific research, has managed to secure nearly $10 billion in export orders in a very short period of time; while Factory 122, which designs and manufactures weapons and equipment, has not received a single cent in orders.

It would be a lie to say that I'm not envious or jealous.

"Uh~" Liu Debao didn't expect that the other party's real purpose was this.

Clearly, the other party is interested in Iraq's purchasing power. The question is whether selling these outdated equipment from Factory 122 to Iraq will affect the school's cooperation negotiations with the other party.
"All our business deals were negotiated by Xie Wei, so you'll have to ask him about this."

Principal Zhang began by speaking.

Principal Zhang supports helping other units sell some weapons and equipment if it doesn't affect his own business.

We need to ask Xie Wei for his opinion on this matter.

"Principal Zhang, Secretary Liu, how about this: we'll reserve a table at the Northern Hotel tonight, and we would be honored if Comrade Xie Wei would join us..."

"Factory 122 invited me to dinner at the Northern Grand Building to discuss automotive cooperation?"

Xie Wei tilted his head and looked at Zhang Mingqiu and Liu Debao, wondering why they had invited him to such a high-class place as the Northern Building for dinner.

"Correct."

"What exactly happened?"

Xie Wei simply did not believe that Factory 122 would lower its cooperation requirements and invite him to dinner at the Northern Building.

It could very well be a trap.

"It's nothing major, they just hope you can help them get some international orders..."

Seeing Xie Wei's wary expression, Liu Debao, fearing Xie Wei might think they were making promises lightly, immediately explained the details and then added, "Of course, if you feel it's inappropriate, we don't need to worry about it."

After saying that, he looked at Xie Wei with a nervous expression.

I'm afraid Xie Wei will get angry.

Zhang Mingqiu and Liu Debao were specially chosen by Li Rui to protect Xie Wei, and they both knew from the beginning that their current positions were basically their last.

With Li Rui's departure, he no longer interfered in school affairs.

However, Xie Wei, in such a short period of time, not only solved the mess left by Li Rui's haphazard addition of projects by exporting technology and selling advanced equipment developed by the school, but also made the school's funds sufficient to allow it to lend money like the landlords of the past.

Xie Wei did the work.

The credit belongs to them.

Their careers could even take another step forward.

Why not?
The premise for everything is to avoid upsetting Xie Wei.

“122厂想要获得出口订单？这个基本上没有太大可能。122厂生产的运-11基本上没有什么军事用途；直-5是米-4的仿制品，早就已经落后，伊拉克军方手里可是有着米-24武装直升机的；而轰-5……”

Xie Wei paused at this point.

During the later stages of the Iran-Iraq War, Saddam Hussein imported four H-6D bombers from China through Jordan and equipped them with C801 anti-ship missiles...

"Perhaps the H-5 has a chance?"

Xie Wei murmured.

"Is there really a chance that the H-5 light bomber can be sold?"

Liu Debao asked in surprise, "Although the Air Force still equips them, the payload is too low and the range is too short..."

The H-5 light bomber is a copy of the Il-28 jet bomber. It is a frontline bomber with a normal bomb load of 1000 kg, a maximum bomb load of 3000 kg, a maximum range of 2400 km, and a combat radius of 560 km.

A fighter jet with such performance is not even worth considering by the PLA forces, whose equipment is outdated.

The J-7 and J-8 fighter jets, which are primarily designed for air combat, have a payload capacity of over 1000 kilograms!
"Selling them is still an option. The Iraqi Air Force doesn't have a bomber force... They don't need a strategic bomber force... The only challenge is persuading them..."

Xie Wei thought about it and felt that selling H-5 bombers to Iraq was still a possibility.

However, we need to find a way to instill the concept of modern warfare systems in the other side.

He had a plan as soon as the idea came to him.

"You can try communicating with the other party first."

Xie Wei said.

It doesn't matter which unit's equipment we sell, as long as it's Chinese equipment.

With military spending drastically cut, domestic military orders are insufficient, and production plans have been reduced to less than one-third of the original levels. As a result, a large number of military industrial units have idle production capacity due to the loss of orders.

In order to survive, many military enterprises without orders have converted their military equipment to civilian use.

The journey from planned production to market orders is long.

This has led to many companies failing to keep up with the market and turning around and failing.

Knowing the situation, Xie Wei naturally hoped to contribute to the military industry and ensure that more companies could weather this decades-long military industry downturn.

"This is something we're not good at..."

Zhang Mingqiu said with a worried expression.

Xie Wei glanced at him, then turned to Liu Debao, "Secretary Liu, before we receive a reply from higher authorities, perhaps we should have a direct understanding of the production capacity of the production units we are cooperating with..."

There were only 1700 rockets originally, so producing them was not easy.

China's manufacturing industry today is far from reaching the point where, decades from now, it can produce thousands of medium- and long-range air-to-air missiles per day under full-scale production.

"did you mean?"

Liu Debao knew that Xie Wei hadn't brought this up suddenly.

"We have many units under the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building that can produce this kind of rocket. It would be best to allocate some to the capable factories... If that's not possible, we can have some factories produce some parts, and then have the Changzheng Machinery Factory assemble them..."

Xie Wei reminded Liu Debao.

Such a large order cannot be produced by just one factory.

The Changzheng Machinery Plant, which previously undertook the production of rockets, certainly wanted to take on all the orders. However, whether the Changzheng Machinery Plant tried to expand its production capacity or produced slowly, it did not conform to the overall development.

Such a huge order can support the production of the three rocket artillery manufacturing plants under the aerospace industry for at least two years.

"Wouldn't contacting three factories be too few?"

"Not too many. Besides, we'll have other long-range rocket artillery in the future..."

Liu Debao didn't say anything more.

Instead, they began contacting relevant factories. It wasn't just the newly added 6000 rockets that needed to be produced in a coordinated manner; the total number of 126 rocket artillery systems required coordination with even more units.

What are your thoughts on the dinner invitation from Factory 122 tonight?

Seeing that Xie Wei didn't say anything else, Zhang Mingqiu asked Xie Wei.

"Let's eat at their restaurant after we get the order for them. Eating now is completely different from eating after we get the order."

Xie Wei answered with a smile.

He who eats another's food is bound to do so.

After helping them secure the light bomber order, they would owe us a huge favor. Having dinner with them afterward would be a way of giving them face.

Xie Wei had long wanted to take Xie Rou to the Northern Building to broaden her horizons, but it was a place where Xie Wei, with his current status, could not easily book a meal.

"Okay, I'll reply to them."

"By the way, Yitzhak didn't leave with Abdullah, did he?"

Xie Wei asked.

To persuade the other party to buy bombers, they had to start with Yitzhak.

After their contact, Shevchenko learned that although Yitzhak was only a lieutenant colonel, Abdullah took his words very seriously.

Compared to the shaman, who also held the rank of lieutenant colonel, Yizak was far more capable.

(End of this chapter)