Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 507 I personally intervened

On May 8th, the morning light in Beiping had not yet completely dispelled the thin mist.

A Gulfstream G650 took off from the runway of Beijing Capital International Airport, pierced the clouds, and sped toward the East China Sea.

Inside the cabin, ultimate tranquility and luxury intertwine.

Song Ci leaned against the porthole, her fingers holding a small spoon, unconsciously stirring the steaming coffee in her cup.

Looking through the porthole at the boundless sea of ​​clouds, a sense of vastness that transcends the mundane world washes over you.

He was traveling to Donghai as a representative of entrepreneurs to attend a high-level preparatory meeting for a free trade zone.

Also accompanying them were Tang Jun and Yang Bowen from Dewen Manufacturing.

In addition to the internet giant Tenda Technology, its subsidiary Devon Manufacturing, which focuses on cutting-edge manufacturing, will also be among the first batch of key enterprises to settle in the Free Trade Zone and enjoy policy benefits.

Because CEO Wang Fengying of Dewen had urgent business to attend to and was unable to leave, two vice presidents represented her in attendance.

Tang Jun sat on the other side of the aisle, leisurely flipping through an economics book; Yang Bowen, on the other hand, was looking down at emails on his tablet, his fingertips swiping rapidly across the screen.

After a long silence, Song Ci suddenly spoke softly, her gaze still fixed on the boundless world outside the window, as if talking to herself, or perhaps asking, "How is the rare earth integration going?"

The sound wasn't loud, but it instantly created ripples in the cabin.

Tang Jun almost reflexively closed the book, leaned forward, straightened his expression, turned to face the big boss, and instantly entered reporting mode.

"Chairman Song, although the company's integration in the southern ionic rare earth field has encountered many difficulties, the overall progress is smooth and is basically in line with the timetable set last year."

"Hmm." Song Ci withdrew his gaze, turned to his trusted and beloved general, and said calmly, "Tell me the specifics, in detail."

Tang Junqing cleared his throat and quickly organized his thoughts: "So far, the biggest breakthrough is the successful acquisition of shares in Ganzhou Rare Earth Group, becoming its second largest shareholder."

In Fujian Province, all approval processes for our joint venture with local state-owned assets, 'Minde Rare Earth Development Company', have been completed.

It will be officially listed and operational next month, having obtained exploration rights for two important mining areas and a separation quota for processing 3000 tons of rare earth concentrate annually.

Upon hearing this, Song Ci softly praised, "Not bad!"

"In Guangdong Province, the progress has been the fastest. Through mergers and acquisitions, three small and medium-sized separation plants in Meizhou and Heyuan have been integrated, which has not only brought valuable production capacity, but also secured a separation quota of about 1500 tons."

All things considered, Devon's actual controlled rare earth separation capacity has jumped to the top three in the southern market.

Song Ci listened quietly, his fingers occasionally tracing the rim of his coffee cup. He nodded slightly, his voice unusually solemn:

"Well done. But we need to speed things up even more. Rare earth elements are crucial; they are fundamental to the military and aerospace industries. Missile guidance systems, aircraft engines, radar sonar—which of these can function without high-performance neodymium iron boron?"
Looking to the future, the lifeline of industries such as new energy vehicles and wind power generation also hinges on rare earth permanent magnet materials. We must accelerate integration, control the upstream source, and only by gaining control can we have a voice in the market.

“Understood, Chairman Song.” Tang Jun’s expression hardened; he was perfectly clear about the company’s ultimate strategy. Devon Manufacturing would never stop at selling ore and primary processed products.

They have already invested heavily in building a high-end materials laboratory to tackle the research and development and production of high-performance neodymium iron boron permanent magnets, with the goal of challenging the monopoly of Japanese companies Hitachi Metals and Shin-Etsu Chemical in the high-end market.

After observing the boss's expression, which was serious but somewhat satisfied, I decided to lay out all the problems I had been brewing for a long time.

“Chairman Song, the company is expanding rapidly, but long-standing problems are also emerging all at once. There are several hurdles that are difficult to overcome by relying solely on me and General Manager Lu working locally.”

"Oh?" Song Ci raised an eyebrow slightly. "What aspects are the problems?"

"First of all, mining quotas are severely limited." Tang Jun frowned, his expression grave. "The annual rare earth mining quotas controlled by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources are growing slowly."

Moreover, most of the quotas tend to be allocated to leading light rare earth companies in northern China, such as Baogang Group. Although the company has acquired some separation quotas through mergers and acquisitions, upstream mining quotas are extremely difficult to obtain.

MinDe Company and several newly built mines in Ganzhou have all the equipment and personnel in place, but due to insufficient quotas, they are in a state of partial shutdown, unable to operate at full capacity, and facing high costs.

Song Ci's expression remained unchanged as he calmly asked, "Besides the targets, are there any other problems?"

"Yes, and it's very common." Tang Jun seemed to have found an outlet, and said in one breath, "Some areas have serious local protectionism."

Although Dewen has reached strategic cooperation agreements with the provincial level, significant obstacles remain at the city and county levels. Some localities have explicitly required that rare earth ore undergo primary processing locally.

They refuse to ship goods to more efficient centralized processing centers, wanting to keep tax revenue and GDP within the local area. This directly increases logistics costs and hinders the optimal allocation of resources.

Tang Jun took a breath, his face full of worry: "The mining areas in the south are scattered, and there are many historical problems. Although illegal mining has been curbed to some extent after rectification, it is still rampant."

These low-cost, environmentally unfriendly "black rare earth" materials have flooded the market, severely impacting the price system. There are also environmental issues, with new standards constantly emerging.

He glanced at the big boss and added, "Chairman Song, to be honest, at this stage of development, the company is currently like being bound hand and foot by invisible ropes in the rare earth field."

Despite having sufficient funds and plans, they are stuck in a stalemate regarding targets, local policies, and environmental protection, rendering their efforts ineffective.

A brief silence fell over the cabin, broken only by the steady hum of the engines. Yang Bowen put down his tablet and looked over.

Song Ci fell into deep thought, her fingertips tapping lightly on the expensive solid wood armrest, producing a rhythmic sound.

A moment later, he raised his head, his gaze sharp, and began to deploy his plans with resounding conviction:

"The extraction and separation of quotas is the source of the water. I will handle this matter. I will personally visit the relevant leaders from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources."

Dewen's development of rare earths is not for speculation and profiteering, but to build a core material supply chain for high-end manufacturing in China and break the overseas monopoly.

I will clarify this point. We aim to make Dewen Manufacturing a key new force supported by the national rare earth strategy, rather than just another company competing with local governments for profits.

“Environmental issues are unavoidable, so we must take the lead in addressing them.” Song Ci paused briefly, took a sip of coffee, and said, “Let Lu Chenggong take the lead in establishing the ‘Dewen Rare Earth Environmental Protection Research Institute’.”

Inviting top domestic environmental engineering experts and academicians to join us will not only help us solve our own problems, but also allow us to participate in and even lead the development of new industry standards.

Devon aims to be an environmental benchmark, making compliance a competitive advantage, not a weakness.

"As for local barriers..." Song Ci frowned slightly and pondered for a moment, "In late June, after I return from the visit with the leader, I will personally go to the three provinces of Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong."

This time, we didn't just talk to the provincial government; we went directly to the cities with the greatest resistance and met with local officials.

Tax revenue and GDP sharing are negotiable and can be innovated, but the principles of intensive and efficient resource utilization will not be compromised. At the provincial level, I will first communicate and obtain their support.

He had naturally planned that his trip to the United States with high-ranking officials in June would be a significant "momentum," and that negotiating with this momentum would yield drastically different results.

"As for illegal mining," his tone suddenly turned cold, "Tang Jun, you need to compile a detailed report, ensuring the data is accurate and the evidence is solid, specifying the region, scale, and personnel involved. I will report this to the special rectification task force at an appropriate time. Relying solely on appeals from enterprises or local law enforcement is far from enough."

He had his own considerations for this matter. In a few days, a new round of inspections would begin, departing from the capital and heading to various places. This report would be a precise "surgical tool."

"Yes, Chairman Song! I'll get on it right away!" Tang Jun breathed a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders finally relaxing. With the boss personally handling these high-level issues, his pressure was greatly reduced.

As the problems were resolved one by one, Song Ci glanced at his two subordinates and encouraged them: "Dewen is now snatching food from the tiger's mouth and reshaping the industry landscape."

Resistance is normal, even inevitable. Don't be afraid of problems; solving problems is where our value lies.

By implementing each and every task meticulously, tackling these tough challenges, Dewen can truly establish its voice and leadership in the rare earth field. Only then will we be qualified to be players on the chessboard of future high-end manufacturing.

The richest man's voice was steady and powerful, echoing at 10,000 meters above the ground, setting the tone for future actions.

The plane began its slow descent, and through the porthole, the spire of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the winding Huangpu River were clearly visible.

A short while later, the Gulfstream G650 landed smoothly on the runway of Donghai International Airport, and taxiing gradually came to a stop. The cabin door opened, and the gangway docked precisely.

Song Ci's conversation with Tang Jun and Yang Bowen came to a temporary end. He straightened his suit jacket and calmly walked out of the cabin.

In May, the air in the East China Sea is warm and humid, carrying a unique atmosphere of a coastal city.

As soon as I stepped onto the gangway and looked toward the tarmac, I saw a small group of people waiting quietly in the distance.

The man in the lead, wearing a dark jacket and sporting a very friendly smile, was none other than Guo Guangchang, the head of Fosun Group.

Song Ci quickened her pace as she descended the gangway, extending her hand from afar: "President Guo, why did you come all this way in person?"

Guo Guangchang strode forward, grasped Song Ci's hand tightly, shook it vigorously, and said in a loud voice, "President Song, welcome! It's been a while since we last met, and you still look as radiant as ever!"

"Mr. Guo, you flatter me. You are no less impressive, and your presence is even more remarkable than before," Song Ci replied politely, her tone very humble.

The two last met more than a month ago to discuss Fosun Group's investment in MYbank as a major strategic investor. They had a very pleasant conversation then, and their reunion today showed an even stronger sense of familiarity.

Guo Guangchang laughed heartily, turned to the side and made a "please" gesture, his posture very humble and showing great respect.

"Mr. Song, you're too kind. How could I not extend my hospitality to you since you've come to Donghai? The car is ready, this way please."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Guo," Song Ci readily agreed.

The two business tycoons chatted as they walked, their conversation ranging from the weather in the East China Sea to global economic trends, revealing a macro perspective and information density that is difficult for others to grasp.

Tang Jun, Yang Bowen, and Fosun's entourage followed behind, maintaining a polite distance.

Soon, everyone arrived at the car. Guo Guangchang insisted that Song Ci get in first, and then he sat in the spacious back seat.

The convoy smoothly departed the airport and merged into the busy traffic flow of the East China Sea.

The atmosphere in the carriage was pleasant. After exchanging pleasantries, the conversation naturally turned to business. For them, casual conversation was just a prelude; business and commerce were the eternal themes.

Guo Guangchang leaned slightly towards Song Ci, his expression serious: "President Song, in the last phone call, you proposed that Devon Manufacturing and Fosun's Nanjing Iron & Steel Group jointly establish a 'New Materials Joint Laboratory'. The board of directors attached great importance to this and held a special meeting to discuss it in depth."

He then concluded in a lighthearted tone: "We believe this idea is highly strategic and entirely feasible. The board of directors has approved it smoothly."

Upon hearing the reply, Song Ci nodded slightly, a knowing smile playing on her lips, as if she had expected it.

"It's a pleasure to cooperate, Mr. Guo. I believe that the collaboration between Devon and Nanjing Iron & Steel will be a win-win or even multi-win situation."

He gazed out the car window at the rapidly passing Donghai cityscape, his thoughts wandering. Every shareholder of MYbank is a key node in a meticulously woven network of strategic alliances.

Fosun has a deep-rooted industrial foundation in the three sectors of health, happiness and wealth, which are highly complementary to its "Internet + physical economy" business model.

In particular, its subsidiary Nanjing Iron & Steel Group is located next to Devon Manufacturing's new energy vehicle super factory in Jiangbei, Nanjing, giving it an unparalleled geographical advantage.

What does this mean? It means that the special steel needed for Devon's future automotive production may be able to achieve "hourly" supply chain response.

After rolling off the Nanjing Iron & Steel rolling mill, the steel is delivered directly to the Devon stamping workshop via dedicated logistics without needing to enter a traditional warehouse.

This will significantly reduce logistics and inventory costs, improve supply chain efficiency and resilience, and create an advantage that competitors will find difficult to replicate.

Guo Guangchang also attaches great importance to this collaboration.

Despite his illustrious reputation in the business world and the fact that Fosun is already a massive conglomerate, he is well aware that there is still a gap in terms of capital strength, future potential, and social influence compared to this young Asian tycoon.

Today, Nanjing Iron & Steel's entry into the new energy vehicle industry chain of China's richest company is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

This allows Nanjing Iron & Steel to shed its traditional steel company image, enter the blue ocean of high-end automotive steel, achieve industrial upgrading, and join the ranks of the top tier of domestic special steel companies. This is of great significance to Fosun's overall asset optimization and valuation improvement.

The two hit it off immediately, finding that great minds think alike.

Guo Guangchang enthusiastically outlined the details: "President Song, my idea is that the laboratory cannot be just for show; we should adopt the most pragmatic model."

Devon provides cutting-edge vehicle design goals, performance metrics, and failure mode data, because you understand market demands best.

Nanjing Iron & Steel Group (Nanjing Steel) has deployed all its technical reserves and process experts in smelting, rolling, and heat treatment.

Both parties jointly invested and dispatched core R&D personnel to establish a physical laboratory.

There is only one goal: to develop the world's highest-performance, most suitable high-end steel for new energy vehicles!

Song Ci listened attentively, nodding from time to time: "President Guo, your thinking is very clear, I completely agree."

Dewen can initially invest start-up capital and immediately assemble a team of experts in vehicle engineering, materials science, and safety technology.

The specific agreement and terms of service will be discussed and finalized by both teams this week.

"Excellent!" Guo Guangchang clapped his hands and laughed. "Efficiency is the lifeblood. I've instructed the chairman and chief engineer of Nanjing Iron & Steel to lead a team directly to liaise with the Devon team. I hope they can produce industry-shaking results as soon as possible!"

The vehicle sped towards the city center, and the two business tycoons shook hands again.

(End of this chapter)