My Lord, you need to stand up!

Chapter 441 Playing cards is not as good as playing against capitalists
This was confirmed when we visited the neighboring car factory in the evening.

Logically speaking, Wei Dong had already built many factories by now, including one in Pingjing, so this was truly an eye-opening experience for him.

For example, according to Wei Dong's understanding, this matter is a corporate matter, so the corporate leaders should discuss it.

In fact, his bottom line is that he has no bottom line. If you give me a Cherokee or even sell me one at a discount, Hong Kong will allocate funds.

He wasn't deliberately making things difficult; he was emphasizing that business activities should be conducted according to business principles, ensuring mutual benefit and safeguarding the normal operation of enterprises.

Even a single penny of the benefits I'm entitled to should be given to me.

Everyone needs to develop this habit and stop taking things for free.

Previously, the establishment and operation of factories in Jiangzhou, Shangzhou, Shanghai, and even Yuezhou went relatively smoothly.

But Heijyo doesn't see it that way.

The first reaction of that person from the Ministry of Machine Building was to call his superiors to report the situation.

Wu Xi pulled Wei Dong out to squat by the flower bed next to the basketball hoop: "That's enough. I know you're still upset. How about I have Xu Lao Er host a dinner tonight?"

Wei Dongcai said it was unnecessary: ​​"The reform and opening up of the commodity economy is about giving everyone the opportunity to do business. If you are capable of getting licenses and scarce commodities, that is also a skill. But in the end, it is about fair competition in the market. Consumers can buy whatever they want, instead of relying on your means to prevent others from doing it, or even threatening and suppressing them. And the biggest problem is that you don't even think it's a big deal."

Wu Xi muttered, "Not competing with the people for profit—it's a simple principle, but now that it's suddenly been relaxed, how can we suppress our thoughts?"

Wei Dong squatted down next to him: "Actually, I also came here for Jin Zhuoqun's matter. He acquired a piece of land in the south corner of the train station, saying he wanted to build a TV production building. He also wants to convert a guesthouse on the Second Ring Road into a five-star hotel. When I came to see it, I felt that someone couldn't contain their ambitions. They dare to invest hundreds of millions in hotels, but they are holding back a two-million-dollar project outside. They can only bully their own people when they don't tolerate outsiders."

Wu Xi laughed and told him to get lost: "I heard about him selling music tapes. Even his family felt ashamed... Luckily you intervened and caught him out of his money-grubbing frenzy. I've looked into the matter of these two buildings, and I reckon they're not the same group."

Wei Dong nodded: "I think that's about right. The TV production building is more reliable. TV stations from all provinces and cities are building them, and they all need a place to stay and exchange ideas when they come to Beijing. More importantly, it's a place for all kinds of TV-related talents to go. As for the hotel, it's hard to say."

At this moment, someone from the Ministry of Machinery Industry came out and said that the leader had spoken and that he would be going to the factory later to investigate and resolve the issues. Why don't we go and visit now?

Wei Dong was very busy and thought, "Sell me a car, even without a discount, because there's a shortage of them right now."

Wu Xi quietly kicked him, giving him a look that indicated they should still follow Pingjing's style.

Because Qin Yuye drove with Yu Xiaoqiu to visit the SOD honey factory again, and Wei Dong had to hitch a ride with them afterward, he didn't seem like a wealthy man who could spend two million US dollars.

This area was the traditional Pyeongkyung Industrial Zone in the 1980s; it's just around the corner.

But the area is huge; last time I had Weidong sell sanitary napkins and cars, he definitely didn't look at it closely.

According to the introduction from the Ministry of Machine Building, a portion of the Pingjing Automobile Factory was allocated to the joint venture. Of the 12,000 employees in the automobile factory, 4,000 were transferred to the joint venture.

Wei Dong couldn't help but shake his head when he saw it, and Wu Xi asked him what he meant.

“Look at these old tenement buildings and Khrushchev-style buildings within Beijing’s Third Ring Road. They’re as old as the third-tier factories back home. Shouldn’t this joint venture car factory take this opportunity to find an open space in the suburbs and build a modern industrial plant?”

More importantly, this is clearly a good opportunity for demolition and relocation. Right now, when Jiangzhou City is carrying out demolition and relocation, they are desperately building new buildings and new neighborhoods on the outskirts of the Economic Development Zone and the Zoo, moving the residents of the city center to these areas.

This place is clearly a core area, yet instead of seizing the opportunity to downsize, they're cramming a new factory here.

Anyone who experienced the urban construction frenzy of the following two or three decades will have this feeling.

As Wu Xi introduced the man from the First Ministry of Machine Building, he said, "Rang Weidong is a leading figure in the private real estate industry in Jiangzhou and Shangzhou. The science and technology district he helped the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building plan for this computer project is also very forward-thinking, and can be considered an expert opinion."

He turned his head and taunted, "But your tricks might work in Jiangzhou and Shangzhou. This is Pingjing, and I'm not going to play along with your schemes. You want me to move from this capital city to the suburbs? Dream on!"

It was only from this distinctly Beijing-style tone that Wei Dong realized, "Yes, yes, both Beijing and Shanghai have this problem!"
People would rather live in a dilapidated old apartment in the city center than move to a high-end apartment in the suburbs.

And then, of course, comes the workers in the city center. You tell me, isn't that amazing?

Walking into the newly renovated factory, you can see a few foreigners, but the workers in Beijing all regard them as imperialists.

Because a large proportion of the employees here have parents who participated in the Korean War, they don't care about these Citibank managers at all.

Wei Dong couldn't help but chirp at Wu Xi: "This is no way it can be fixed! Forget it, maybe it'll be better if we move it to the surrounding area..."

Wu Xi sighed helplessly, "Pingjing needs a benchmark joint venture that it can be proud of. Damn, I need to go to the restroom. I've heard the restrooms here are amazing!"

The substitute from the Ministry of Machine Building introduced: "These American people came and spent 200,000 yuan to repair the toilets. 200,000 yuan! This capitalist style is really extravagant and wasteful!"

But Wei Dong sided with capitalism: "Who are these toilets for? The workers, of course. If the toilets aren't even properly sanitized, how can the entire factory be expected to be clean and tidy?"

What was taken for granted in later generations is still taken for granted now: "Aren't factories supposed to be bustling with oil stains and parts? A little dirt and mess won't affect production and assembly, it's not a hospital." Wei Dong was speechless: "Then why does the military require folding blankets into perfect squares? Did you join the army just to fold your blankets? It's to cultivate a habit of resolutely obeying orders and meticulously fulfilling regulations through strict requirements for tidiness. That's the basic requirement of modern factories. You haven't even learned this essence, yet you question foreign companies. Then why hire others?"

It's estimated that no one has ever used this familiar metaphor of a "tofu block" before, but this official from the First Ministry of Machine Building immediately understood: "Oh, now that you put it that way, I understand! That makes sense."

They even called in the factory's workshop director to get everyone on board, but this guy came over and started tattling: "The foreign side was privately asking our managers about their salary requirements today, saying they want to raise wages to a minimum of 500 yuan. They're definitely trying to sabotage us and corrupt our cadres!"

It made Wei Dong's hair stand on end.

This was the first time he had ever heard of capitalists wanting to raise workers' wages, and that there were actually people who questioned and opposed it.

In my mind, I'm screaming with the black guy's emoji: Are you guys really that popular and expert?

I couldn't help but ask, "So, are you willing to raise the price?"

Unexpectedly, the other party's response was also full of Beijing style: "Who wouldn't be happy about a pay rise? But this would put us at odds with the masses and damage our friendly relations with them. Two hundred yuan is enough; that's how life is..."

Capitalists are scratching their heads!
Then I heard that a leader above the factory manager came to the market, and a foreigner also came to complain. The Chinese-American translator said rather arrogantly that they wanted to fire 14 section chiefs and team leaders who did not follow work orders, but he could not touch any of them. This management is impossible!
Reformer Hong Wen!
Indeed, Weidong started building the factory last May, with the first workshop outside the back gate of Jiangda University. By the time of the Olympics, there were nearly two thousand workers. By the end of the year, the factory had expanded to the Shangzhou Sanitary Napkin Factory, which already had five or six thousand workers.

After the completion of the fourth phase this year, not counting the Xishan factory, the number of workers in Jiangzhou and Shangzhou alone has exceeded 10,000, and there is now a construction team of nearly 6,000!
This was also the norm in the early stages of reform; both Murong and Qiao Feng could expand wildly to hundreds of factories within a few months.

Wei Dong had never seen such a group of Beijing workers with such an attitude.

Speaking of Feiyan Sanitary Napkin Factory, there are also two or three hundred Beijing men and women, but they are all hand-rolled. They are paid by piecework and have to work hard to produce a certain amount of work to earn three or five hundred yuan a month.

Jiangzhou Sanitary Napkin Factory started from the original pharmaceutical factory, and then incorporated workshop and team management personnel from Xishan Factory. When it came to the large-scale new factory and Shangzhou Factory, workers were basically recruited from the countryside and trained before starting their jobs.

There is absolutely no such thing as a superior working class.

Indeed, this is the working class of Beijing, who can hold high the red flag and put up big-character posters. How could they easily submit to foreign capital, especially when led by Americans?

No wonder this factory and brand disappeared from history so quickly.

No wonder it's impossible to fix.

Wei Dong was already shaking his head: "This is impossible to do. This is not what a modern factory should look like at all..."

Even though he had never worked a single day in a factory, Wei Dong's understanding of factories was still ahead of its time.

The management attitude that is deeply ingrained in later generations—that is, that everything is done according to rules and regulations, and that quality and efficiency are paramount.

How can we allow class struggle sentiments to arise on the production line? The automotive industry must be filled with robots, right?

The tattletale stared at him intently, thinking, "What do you know, you bastard?"

At this moment, Wu Xi also came out, pulling up his pants and clicking his tongue: "This toilet is as big as an airport... but it's damaged in several places, the quality is terrible."

Wei Dong then asked the management director, "Why are the toilets damaged? Is it due to poor renovation quality or insufficient worker skills?"

And then, to everyone's surprise, this person whispered that it was intentional: "We want to disrupt production efficiency, to slow down this output rate..."

Wu Xi stared wide-eyed in disbelief!
The explanation was reasonable: "Didn't the higher-ups order us to control the production speed? Our goal isn't to produce more vehicles; only capitalists would demand a massive increase in production at all costs..."

The person from the Ministry of Machinery Industry was somewhat surprised, but also somewhat helpless: "The purpose of joint venture production is to learn from Citibank's experience in production, personnel, finance, quality control and other aspects to drive reform, and more importantly, to increase our own localization rate. Every additional car produced will cost more precious foreign exchange, so we do not want to produce more. However, the foreign party covets our huge market and has been demanding that production be increased in every possible way. This contradiction has become quite serious."

So ultimately, it all comes down to foreign exchange!

When the foreign companies load the parts onto the ship at the dock, they already earn the US dollars back home. All they want is a continuous supply of assembly and sales here. They don't care how much they sell it for here, because it's useless for them to split the RMB earned from domestic sales.

So on one hand, they feel sorry for the precious foreign exchange reserves they exchange for cars, because no matter how many they sell or how much they earn, it can't make up for the depletion of foreign exchange reserves. On the other hand, they desperately want to increase their production capacity and export volume of auto parts.

It made Wei Dong feel as if he could see what domestically produced new energy vehicles would look like forty years from now, when they are sold all over the world.

Now, however, they are forced to be exploited.

But something just doesn't seem right about this pattern.

This made Wei Dong fall into deep thought. Why didn't his Apple OEM factory in Shanghai have these problems?

Just then, a large delegation of leaders arrived, including several whom I had met at the economic work conference last year.

Wei Dong still had to brace himself and face the situation.

(End of this chapter)