America: My Time

Chapter 1209 Empty City Strategy?
Chapter 1199 The Empty City Stratagem?

When the plane landed, John didn't return to his residence in Hong Kong. Instead, he asked Michelle to make arrangements for the women traveling with him, while he went directly to Standard Chartered Bank, as agreed upon with Yuan Tianfan. At this time, John also needed to understand the situation in Hong Kong and Standard Chartered Bank as soon as possible, and more importantly, to send a signal to the outside world.

The Hong Kong tycoons were naturally pleased with John's reaction, as it reassured them and meant Standard Chartered Bank would take the financial crisis more seriously. However, what they didn't expect was that Soros and his oil-rich capital associates were also pleased, equally happy to see this unfold. This further confirmed that Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong wasn't as powerful as they thought, and the more anxious John's reaction, the more confident Soros became. From this moment on, the contest began.

"Tianfan, how's the situation in Hong Kong? Has there been any crisis here?"

"Hong Kong is relatively stable, and everything here is proceeding according to plan without any unexpected incidents. However, I feel that Soros and his group are acting a bit strangely. Although the Hang Seng Index has plummeted, I don't think they've gone all out, otherwise it wouldn't have only reached this point! With the combined power of international speculative capital, it shouldn't have caused such a small impact!"

The storm was brewing, and soon the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong plummeted, falling below the 9000 mark. However, in Yuan Tianfan's eyes, the other party still had resources and conspiracies. Standard Chartered Bank needed to be cautious and could not afford to be careless in the slightest!

"Well said. Soros certainly won't go all out from the start; this is just the beginning. However, those guys in Taiwan are really cowards, giving up on the exchange rate altogether, which puts even more pressure on Hong Kong. This is just Soros testing the waters. I believe that once Hong Kong responds, this guy will quickly retreat. He won't engage in a decisive battle with us; now is not the time for a decisive battle. He's not entirely confident! If I'm not mistaken, this family will soon target South Korea and Japan, having their personnel prepare there."

"Standard Chartered banks around the world are prepared, but now we're being watched. Any move we make will be detected. That's what happened in Taiwan, preventing us from reaping the full benefits. While some of the blame lies with us, external influences also play a role. This time, they came prepared; it seems the battle in Southeast Asia has put them on their guard, impacting our plans to some extent!"

"Don't worry, we've done everything we could. We're not trying to be at the forefront. After all, we're different from those guys like Soros. They're like financial assassins, predators. We're focused on business, so naturally we have to consider our reputation. If they want to test us, let them test us. Otherwise, all my efforts would be wasted. We'll hold a press conference tomorrow to show our stance. Standard Chartered Bank needs to have a positive attitude and let the people of Hong Kong know our confidence!"

John contacted Standard Chartered Bank immediately, which was also part of his plan to mislead those people's understanding of Standard Chartered Bank and prepare for his next move.

“Okay, we’ve been prepared for this for a long time. Even if we face a bank run, we won’t have any problems. We have enough cash to deal with any crisis. The funds we have are beyond their imagination.” Yuan Tianfan said confidently. Standard Chartered Bank had been preparing for a year, accumulating funds little by little, and had achieved a layout across the entire Asia without alerting anyone. So now he was full of confidence!
"That's good. We'll see your performance tomorrow. Let everyone know Standard Chartered Bank's stance. At least we can't let those guys have it too easy. And I believe Hong Kong will make a decision soon. This is just a small test. We don't need to take it too seriously. The real battle will begin when they come back with a vengeance!"

"We won't let you down, but doing this will completely offend HSBC!"

"We don't need to pay attention to HSBC's reaction. In Hong Kong, HSBC is indeed more popular than us, but in the whole of Asia, and even in Europe and Africa, HSBC is far inferior to us."

"But with HSBC expanding into the US, shouldn't we also make appropriate adjustments?" Yuan Tianfan also had his own thoughts on HSBC's expansion into the US. If it weren't for the pressure from John, the big boss, he would have made the same choice, letting Standard Chartered Bank expand into the US instead of managing its current territory!

"No, we don't need to rush. We have to take things one step at a time. The US market is so big, and too many people are eyeing it. We shouldn't compete with them. Instead, we should avoid direct confrontation and seize other markets outside the US. The whole of America is so big. We don't need to fight the US to the death. Now is not the time."

If Standard Chartered were to enter the US market at this time, the guys on Wall Street would probably go crazy. They don't want to see that happen. They are already worried about Honourable Bank and East West Bank, not to mention Hurricane Investment. If Standard Chartered were to enter the market, they would have to think about what John is up to!
John was fully aware of the old guys' thoughts, so he wasn't in a hurry to have Standard Chartered Bank establish a presence in the US. Instead, he planned to build a powerful network outside the US, waiting for the next economic crisis. John's conversation with Yuan Tianfan didn't last long. After all, he had to consider the reactions of the Hong Kong tycoons and Soros. If he made them worried, things might develop in a direction he didn't want to see.

However, even though John left Standard Chartered Bank quickly, many people will still have trouble sleeping that night, worried about the changes John's appearance will bring to the situation and Standard Chartered Bank's reaction!

The following day, Yuan Tianfan held a press conference, openly stating Standard Chartered Bank's position. As the note-issuing bank, Standard Chartered's every move would impact Hong Kong. This stance led many to question whether Standard Chartered truly had enough money, whether it was truly unafraid of a bank run, and whether it was employing a ruse.

This idea was not only doubted by Soros, but also by HSBC and many Hong Kong tycoons. After all, they all knew how crazy Standard Chartered Bank's expansion had been in recent years, covering almost the entire country. Such a massive expansion naturally required investment. Where would all this money come from?
"Hopefully Standard Chartered Bank won't play with fire and something bad will happen at this time, otherwise it will be a disaster for the entire Hong Kong. If Standard Chartered Bank collapses, the consequences will be unimaginable. Those guys like Soros, and international speculative capital, will launch a frenzied attack!"

"No, John showed up and went to see Yuan Tianfan immediately. This shows how much he values ​​Hong Kong and Standard Chartered. He won't let Standard Chartered Bank get into trouble. Don't forget how he earned his illustrious reputation!"

“I know his reputation, but I’m still worried that something might go wrong. If something really goes wrong, the consequences will be unimaginable. If Standard Chartered Bank collapses, it will be a huge blow to HSBC as well, and the whole of Hong Kong will be set off.”

"You're suspecting that Standard Chartered Bank might collude with Soros to launch a surprise attack on us? Isn't that a crazy idea? It's simply impossible." Someone quickly understood the source of the other person's concern: they were worried about the impact of John's identity!

"Nothing is impossible. Anything is possible when there is profit to be made. If the Hong Kong market collapses, what huge profits that would bring! Do you think Standard Chartered Bank hasn't thought about that? Do you think John hasn't thought about that?"

Such suspicions are common in Hong Kong. Even if Yuan Tianfan were to step forward and clarify his position, many with darker intentions would still interpret the situation negatively rather than optimistically. These individuals harbor malicious thoughts and assume others are just like themselves; they are undeniably wicked.

At this point, many people thought of John again, wanting to know what he was doing and why only Yuan Tianfan had come forward, while the big boss himself hadn't made any statement. When everyone inquired, they discovered that John wasn't focused on the financial crisis in Hong Kong, but rather on discussing the development of the Phoenix Group with Huang Xizhao and arranging for the beautiful women who had come from China.

Time was limited, and John didn't want to see a situation where, after the Asian financial crisis and the successful acquisition, there wouldn't be enough manpower to operate these television stations! Of course, during this exchange, John also clearly told him that there would be changes at Phoenix Group, and that he should prepare in advance.

Once the acquisition is complete, John's name will completely disappear from Phoenix Group, and he will have absolutely no connection to the group on the surface. Everything will be controlled by the fund. This arrangement also provides a safety net for management; if any problems arise, the board can intervene quickly to prevent a major crisis. After all, Hwang Seok-chao currently wields considerable power, but his control over South Korea and Japan is insufficient, even lacking in understanding. If problems were to occur, it would be a disaster for Phoenix Group, so preparations must be made in advance.

John didn't want to think the worst about people's intentions, but he had to be prepared. With this expansion, Phoenix Media would take another step forward in the media field, which could easily lead to unwanted thoughts. Taking precautions in advance was the best choice and the best way to deal with the situation.

(End of this chapter)