Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 104 You Have to Participate in This Negotiation
After listening to this on the other end of the phone, Lin Ran felt deeply moved. There was a reason why Hong Kong businessmen could stand firm amidst the ups and downs of the changing times.

Regardless of whether their business philosophy is backward or lacks innovative spirit, and whether they always think of relying on rent to obtain stable income after becoming rich, it is undeniable that they all have their own strengths.

One more thing to say is that the lack of innovative spirit in that era was not necessarily caused by limited thinking, but was also related to the background of the times.

If you do a business that does not involve technical expertise, such as lending, it is unlikely to be coveted by others.

No matter what kind of innovation you try, the risk is extremely high, because China cannot protect you at all at that time.

The more impressive the technological innovation, the less likely it is to be maintained.

Take Hou Debang's alkali production method as an example. The Hou alkali production method is more advanced than the Chaan method introduced by Neon from Germany in terms of continuous production and resource utilization.

Neon wanted to cooperate with Hou Debang, but was flatly rejected by Hou Debang.

As a result, in 1942, Japan directly packed up the nitric acid production equipment of Jinling Yongli Ammonium Plant and shipped it back to Japan's Kyushu Omuta Toyo High Voltage Co., Ltd. Yokosuka Factory.

After Neon surrendered, it still didn't want to return it, so Hou Debang personally went to Neon to ask for it back.

If Huawei were in that era, it would have moved away with its factory and people long ago.

There were similar cases before. For that generation of traditional Chinese businessmen, innovation was considered a high-risk, low-return behavior in places like Hong Kong controlled by England.

Xu Aizhou was very knowledgeable about how to deal with people. If he allowed Xu Shixun to join these organizations as Lin Ran's authorized representative, it would certainly be a good thing for the Xu family. It would be a symbol of status and they could also obtain first-hand information.

The latter represents even greater benefits. Knowing in advance which shipping routes will be transformed first and who will do the transformation means being able to get started early.

But he still chose to give up decisively, because fortune and misfortune are intertwined. He knew his son too well and knew Xu Shixun's ability. He would be thankful if he didn't make any mistakes, not to mention fighting for the interests of Chinese people around the world and for Hong Kong.

This is not something Xu Shixun can do.

In this case, it would be better to treat this direct proposal to Lin Ran as a favor.

Giving up is sometimes a kind of gain.

"Okay, I understand. Let's go with these two. I believe in your vision, Mr. Xu." Lin Ran said. On the one hand, he really believed in Xu Aizhou's vision, and on the other hand, these two were both famous figures in history.

During this time when facing the British attack, Pao Yue-Kong also fully proved his reliability.

Everyone voted except him.

Lin Ran was naturally willing to give him a chance.

With the position of member of the Standards Committee, and the fact that Li Jiacheng has been regarded as a thorn in the eyes of Hong Kong Chinese businessmen, Lin Ran is looking forward to whether Li Jiacheng can still become a superman like in later generations.

When Xu Aizhou and Lin Ran were talking on the phone, Xu Shixun sat beside them and listened to the whole conversation with an indignant look on his face.

Because in his opinion, the Xu family invested money and effort in this process, but the old man gave away the most valuable thing for nothing, which made him really unwilling to accept.

If he could become a member of the Maritime Standards Committee, even if it was just to represent Lin Ran, he would be a true insider in Hong Kong.

In the past, Hong Kong people had no chance to participate in the formulation of global standards.

Xu Shixun thought that if he went to the racecourse to race horses, those English guys would look up to him.

After Xu Aizhou hung up the phone, he called the servant over and gave him a few instructions. The servant then handed a document to Xu Shixun.

"Come and take a look."

Xu Shixun took the document and saw the words: "Hong Kong's Positioning in the Promotion of International Standards"

"As an international trade hub in eastern Asia, Hong Kong is close to mainland China and serves as a key link connecting Southeast Asia, East Asia and the global market.

The port's transformation will enhance its logistical efficiency and attractiveness.

Cost advantage: The significant reduction in transportation costs will make Hong Kong a more competitive transshipment center, attracting more goods to transit through Hong Kong, thereby enhancing its position in global trade.

Impact on Japanese Industries: Trade Competition and Trade Shift: Hong Kong's low costs may cause some trade activities that originally passed through Japanese ports (such as Yokohama and Kobe) to shift to Hong Kong, especially in trade with Southeast Asia. This will effectively reduce the cargo volume of Japanese ports and affect their logistics revenue.

Market Share: In 1960, Japan was experiencing rapid postwar economic growth, relying on an export-oriented economy. Hong Kong's increased competitiveness could cause Japan to lose its advantage in certain trade routes, particularly in the Asian regional market.
Conclusion: Hong Kong's port renovations and reductions in transportation costs will impact the Japanese electronics industry to some extent, primarily through trade competition and logistics pressures. However, this impact is limited and will not fundamentally affect the competitiveness of the Japanese electronics industry. Considering the current situation, Hong Kong's focus on the textile and electronics industries could have a more direct impact on Japanese electronics.

YK Pao Global Shipping Company

Xu Aizhou then asked, "What did I ask you to prepare?"

Xu Shixun was completely at a loss. Xu Aizhou had told him about this matter a long time ago, but he thought it was not urgent and arranged for his secretary to do it.

The open and covert struggles between Chinese and British businessmen during this period, including the entry of American Capital, although the matter did not ferment among the people, was almost known to everyone in the business community: Lin Ran returned to Hong Kong last year and designed a complete set of shipping transformation plans, which is expected to become the global shipping standard with the support of Morgan and Rockefeller, and the Xu family played a major role in it.

As for the British capital's coveting, Jardine Matheson and Swire's plundering, the collective defection of Chinese small boat merchants, Sir Lin's strategic planning and turnaround from thousands of miles away, and other factors have added a lot of legendary color to the rumor itself.

The result that the outside world knows is that Lin Ran and the American capital behind him won, and the Xu family can also get a piece of the pie.

As a result, wherever Xu Shixun goes recently, he is met with flattery. The second generation of Chinese businessmen of the same level as his family also try to please him, hoping to get a piece of the pie.

Xu Shixun was in high spirits and didn't take Xu Aizhou's task seriously at all. Shouldn't the report be written by his secretary?

"For the same task, I told you to hand it over to me within two weeks, and I told Bao Sheng to help me think about it when you have time.

As a result, it only took Baosheng three days to write a version for me personally.

He not only knows that this standardization reform will benefit Hong Kong's shipping, but also thinks about how we can shape a strong local industry in Hong Kong.

What about you?

During this period, he was either at the racecourse or in the dance hall, either hanging out with the female anchors from Rediffusion, or playing bridge at the Jockey Club.

If I give you the committee work, you might be told that we have a meeting on the 21st, but you still sleep on a woman's belly on the 20th and miss it."

Xu Aizhou was a little angry and hit Xu Shixun's calf with the crutch at hand: "Get out!"

A news conference is being held in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., a room with a tree-branch chandelier and high ceilings.

Kennedy's White House press secretary, Pierre Salinger, stood at the podium, and the folding chairs below were packed with reporters.

This press conference attracted much attention because Kennedy had just announced through the New York Times that he thought Randolph's "hotline" was a very good concept.

Just before the press conference, Pierre Salinger told the media that this time he would give a positive response to the outside world's doubts about the hotline.

Because of this, many reporters made a special trip to the scene even if they were out of town.

For example, Merriman Smith, nicknamed the King of White House News, has been reporting White House news without interruption since 41.

There was also James Reston, who had been transferred to the New York Times to be a columnist, and General Motors specially came to attend this press conference.

Everyone wants to get first-hand information, which is related to world peace.

Because the confrontation and crisis surrounding Berlin seem to be escalating.

"Mr. Salinger, I'm Merriman Smith, a reporter for United Press International. President Kennedy made a nationally televised address on July 7th, announcing that America would defend the freedom of West Berlin.

The Soviet Union then built the Berlin Wall in August, and Vice President Lyndon Johnson visited West Berlin in August to express his support.

During a visit to London in September, Randolph Lin, the White House special assistant for space affairs, told the BBC in a face-to-face interview that establishing a direct communication channel between the White House and the Kremlin would be the last line of defense against human extinction.

Did Randolph's proposal have the support of the White House? If so, was it inconsistent with the tough stances taken by President Kennedy and Vice President Johnson? Merriman Smith was as professional as ever.

"Assistant Randolph Lin's proposal was highly praised by the White House, which does not contradict the President's tough stance.

America has the ability and determination to defend freedom, and we fully believe that we can be the ultimate victor in this Cold War.

That is why we hope for peace, hope that conflicts will not break out and that it will not come to the point of war.

We hope to avoid war, which expresses the White House's attitude of responsibility towards peace and all mankind.

I also call on the Kremlin to exercise restraint. There are no winners in war."

At this press conference, Kennedy's side clearly conveyed to the outside world the signal that the White House hopes to establish a direct communication channel with the Kremlin.

The news spread around the world through Western newspapers the next day.

European mainstream media such as The Times and Le Monde hailed it as the dawn of peace.

It’s like if you don’t agree to the Soviet Union, it means you don’t want peace and want to make things difficult for all of humanity.

In addition, Eastern European media such as Pravda, Neue Deutsche Zeitung, and Volkstribe exaggerated it as an American conspiracy.

However, the Soviet Union had already passed the message to the White House through its representatives in Geneva.

"Randolph, the Kremlin has expressed its willingness to negotiate the establishment of a hotline in Geneva, but their prerequisite is that you participate in the negotiations. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)