Return to Hong Kong Island for a Century

Chapter 299 Troublesome Problem

Liu Jiale turned around and announced the good news to the staff of the TV station and the magazine.

The staff of the TV station and magazine already knew that there would be an annual meeting this year.

In particular, former employees of the magazine are really looking forward to this year's annual meeting!

Because Li Song, the boss, is very generous and not stingy at all.

In the past, whenever I came to the company, I would treat everyone to lunch.

But later, as the number of employees increased, the boss came less often.

However, each employee is required to prepare a program, and multiple employees can prepare together.

You must perform a talent show before you can go up to draw a prize.

Then, employees from the TV station and the magazine started to secretly coordinate their efforts.

Some people are preparing to sing, some are preparing to perform songs, and some are preparing to tell jokes.

Of course, if all else fails, then poetry recitation can be performed.

The lottery is entirely based on luck. If you're lucky, you can win a house; if you're unlucky, you'll only get a hundred yuan.

When Li Song was arranging the annual meeting in Hong Kong Island.

A delegation from McDonnell Douglas has arrived in Shanghai!
The McDonnell Douglas delegation was in a rather awkward position this time.

Because McDonnell Douglas withdrew its delegation after the last negotiation failed!

So this time, McDonnell Douglas made a phone call in advance, and before the Shanghai side was ready, McDonnell Douglas's representative got off the plane.

Of course, people in Shanghai wouldn't neglect their guests.

First, invite them to a hotel catering to foreign guests!

And that was it!
The reception staff are the same ones as before!

However, McDonnell Douglas's representatives were anxious to negotiate, but when they asked the receptionist in the morning, they were told that they were not ready yet. When they asked the receptionist at noon, they were still told that they were not ready yet. When they asked in the evening, they were still told that they were not ready yet!
It's said that no one who rises to power is a fool!

McDonnell Douglas's hasty visit must be because of the news of the Starliner's maiden flight!

Last time, McDonnell Douglas didn't give us face, making those involved in the negotiations lose face terribly.

Because all those involved in the negotiations wanted to introduce aircraft manufacturing technology.

McDonnell Douglas has come to us of its own accord this time. If we don't negotiate the best terms, we'll be criticized behind our backs!

Don't underestimate the gossip and rumors circulating behind people's backs!

When it comes to future promotions, superiors will take these words into consideration.

They might lose their chance for promotion.

Moreover, McDonnell Douglas aircraft had a major weakness: the engine.

McDonnell Douglas's engines were manufactured by General Motors.

However, General Motors has no intention of licensing its technology to mainland China.

Even if McDonnell Douglas transfers its production line, it will still have to import engines from General Motors later on.

General Motors was unwilling to transfer its technology at all; at most, it would set up an engine assembly plant in Shanghai, and even then, the inland areas would have to pay a huge sum of money.

So what should be done about this? There's no clear answer on the mainland side, because we don't know what McDonnell Douglas's bottom line is this time!
McDonnell Douglas's bottom line this time is very simple: first and foremost, they need to sell off their inventory!
Because of the flight ban last year, many airlines cancelled their orders.

Therefore, McDonnell Douglas also has some parts and finished/semi-finished aircraft ordered from other supporting industrial chains.

We're going to clear out this inventory first!

Then comes the technology and production line!

Workers on McDonnell Douglas's production lines are currently on holiday.

We need to make a decision as soon as possible regarding the current inventory of spare parts and semi-finished products.

Because dragging it out like this will incur a lot of costs.

In addition, the company decided to develop the DC11 in order to restore the reputation of the DC10!
In fact, DC11 is not as good as DC10.

The senior management on the mainland side faced the representatives from McDonnell Douglas.

McDonnell Douglas feels a bit like a double-edged sword these days!

In a conference room in Kyoto, the leaders attending the meeting discussed this matter while smoking.

"The DC10 series looks alright, but it's not very interesting if they don't transfer the engine technology!"

"That's right, if Li Song hadn't produced the blueprints for the Type A transport plane, there would still be the Type B one!"

"So the DC10 series still has some value!"

"The DC10 is now somewhat outdated compared to aircraft manufactured by Chang'an Aircraft Factory!"

"The fuel consumption rate of aircraft manufactured by Chang'an Aircraft Factory is much lower than that of theirs, by at least 15 percent."

"Flying thousands of kilometers like this can save a lot of fuel!"

"And the key point is that it has three engines!" The leaders present expressed their opinions based on the various data reported below.

"The DC10 series is not bad, but it is far inferior to the new technology of Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant."

"The most critical issue is that even if we acquire the technology for this aircraft, we will still be dependent on others for the engine."

"Besides, we don't have that much foreign exchange right now!"

"Spending hundreds of millions of dollars is simply not worth it!"

"However, we also need to consider the issue of Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant's design and manufacturing of long-range passenger aircraft!"

"Will there be any problems?" "Their strength is not bad."

"But we have to consider that the plane hasn't been built yet!"

"I think it's good to have a backup plan!"

"Then let them get to know each other first?"

"There's no rush. McDonnell Douglas has offered itself up this time. If we're too hasty, they'll ask for an even higher price." There are many things the authorities need to consider.

This statement, which has been made by some, is actually a strategic consideration!

Because from a national perspective, we definitely need to consider many aspects.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket!
"I think there's absolutely no problem with Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant."

"We don't need to underestimate ourselves!"

"It's not that we're overthinking it, but the Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant hasn't actually produced any aircraft engines yet."

"It's still in the trial manufacturing stage!"

"On the surface, all the parts of this aircraft that is supposed to be flying were brought in from outside, including the medium- and long-range passenger plane that is about to be assembled!"

"Nobody knows if any problems will arise along the way."

"It's a good thing that you have this concern!"

"But we must trust the technical personnel at Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant!"

"Besides, since Li Song and his team are investing such a large amount, they must be aiming to make a profit!"

"Any technical difficulties shouldn't be a problem for them!"

"If Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant can't produce qualified products, they'll probably be even more anxious than we are."

"And everyone saw what they delivered."

“They wouldn’t risk bringing so much stuff to joke with us.” Now, the higher-ups have no doubt about Li Song and his team’s sincerity.

There's no doubt that Li Song and his group have other ideas!

If someone like that is sending so many things, there must be other motives behind it.

It doesn't make sense at all!
Because Li Song had absolutely no political ambitions.

If this is a trap, then these higher-ups welcome more people like Li Song.

Rocket technology, fighter jet technology, nuclear submarine technology, steam catapult, 10,000-ton hydraulic press technology, and the most advanced diesel engine technology, with international patents applied for, are far more advanced than the tank engine technology currently used in our country!
Not to mention in other aspects!
If this is intentional sabotage, then higher authorities welcome more people to engage in sabotage.

"We can start talking!"

"The aero-engines independently manufactured by Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant should have a result by the end of this year!"

"As long as Chang'an Aircraft Manufacturing Plant successfully manufactures its own aero engines, we won't need to talk to McDonnell Douglas!"

"If that doesn't work, then we can talk to McDonnell Douglas!" The senior leader, who had been listening to everyone's discussion, finally put out his cigarette and said this.

"The leader's idea is excellent!"

"Anyway, it will take McDonnell Douglas some time from negotiation to the result, so let's try to cut the price as much as possible this time."

"Ok!"

"There's something we all want to talk about!"

"We also want to broadcast the TV series 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' in China!"

"But this price is hard to negotiate, because we know how much money Li Song and his group have invested!"

"Phoenix TV has proposed a solution: our mainland TV stations won't have to spend a single penny. BMW will sponsor the show, meaning they'll run an advertisement before and after the drama airs." This seems like a small matter.

But from a deeper perspective, this is definitely not a trivial matter!
The importance that the propaganda apparatus places on the mainland goes without saying.

"I think there's no problem at all. Although BMW is a foreign company, it's a homegrown Chinese enterprise!"

"I also think it's fine, but the advertisements still need to be reviewed."

"Li Song and his team are very discreet when it comes to advertising. Look at the billboards they set up for off-road motorcycles around Taihu Lake; they're completely different from their advertisements abroad!"

"I noticed this detail too!" These leaders were referring to the fact that the posters featuring Li Song as the spokesperson in his domestic advertisements were rather conservative!

The spokesperson's image is more relaxed abroad.

"We need to think carefully if it's someone else!"

"But the TV series Romance of the Three Kingdoms was originally a co-production between mainland China and Taiwan, and we know exactly what it contains!"

"I won't bring any other bad things!"

"Then it's settled!"

"Now another problem has emerged, and that is the issue of equal pay for equal work!"

"Within the Romance of the Three Kingdoms production team, the salaries of the staff from Hong Kong Island and the staff from the mainland were the same, but this also created a problem: what they earned in a month was what others couldn't earn in a year!"

"How should this money be allocated?"

"I think we need to discuss this!"

"I think everyone here probably already expected this."

"After all, reform and opening up will inevitably lead to various problems, and right now it's just manifesting in a very small area. We need to come up with reasonable solutions." The higher-level leaders are also very troubled by this issue.

But we can't say that Li Song did something wrong, because this is something we'll have to face sooner or later!
On the contrary, people felt that Li Song's approach allowed problems to surface earlier and be resolved sooner, thus providing solutions for similar problems in the future.

"Sigh!" The leaders present all found the problem difficult, sighed, and lit cigarettes one after another.

Don't underestimate the seemingly small issue of wages; it involves a great deal of factors, including systemic issues and distribution problems. A mistake in this area can set a very bad example!
(End of this chapter)