On July 10, after the national defense office rejected the ice core application, both Fang Zhuo and Smith tried a variety of methods.
What Smith can mobilize are the resources of Goldman Sachs Group, including but not limited to some administrative connections in the Democratic and Republican parties.
Fang Zhuowen didn't have much to use. The magic of Bloomberg, which had been blocked from membership, was no longer there. He couldn't find any place to spend the money in his pocket, and there was no progress in asking the equipment suppliers on the ice core purchase list.
He even called the Anliang Chamber of Commerce to find out if there was anyone he could connect with, but he found nothing.
Such an impenetrable national defense is a huge headache.
Fang Zhuo was worried, but he still needed to keep calm on his face.
Counter-signatures from the four major departments are indispensable. Even after struggling to obtain approvals from energy, commerce, and state affairs, without the nod from national defense, Ice Core still cannot buy the equipment it wants.
However, just when Fang Zhuo was thinking about using his old face to invite SMIC head Zhang Rujing and Professor Hu Zhengming, an academician of the National Academy of Engineering, to Washington to serve as lobbyists, his team, the Rockets, started a deal with the NBA in July.
The market has made some gains.
The general manager of the Rockets has been officially replaced by Colangelo, who jumped ship from the Suns. Under the owner's intention, Colangelo immediately offered Nash, a restricted free agent of the Mavericks, a six-year, $63 million contract.
Quotation.
It is reported that the Mavericks' offer to Nash is less than $40 million over four years.
In the end, after Fang Zhuo personally called Nash to express his welcome and trust, the Mavericks point guard switched to the Rockets, their rival in Texas.
This trade reinforcement surprised many Rockets players. After all, the team also has All-Star point guard Francis, and Francis immediately expressed his welcome. In an interview, he said that he is a combo guard and a shooting guard.
It can make the team's tactics more varied.
However, within two days, general manager Colon Lolo made a deal that shocked the league. He traded All-Star guard Francis + Kevin Cato from the Raptors for All-Star forward and swingman Carter + Donye.
Marshall Marshall.
Carter was unhappy with the Raptors last season and had a lot of conflicts with the management, which is why this deal took shape.
General Manager Colon Lolo's transaction has not yet ended. Considering the team's configuration, he exchanged the tough defensive power forward Kurt Thomas from the New York Knicks, who is nicknamed "Crazy Eyes" and "Dirty".
"Dirty Kurt", who has excellent low-post defense and a stable mid-range shot.
In this way, the Rockets' configuration is Nash + Jim Jackson + Carter + Kurt + Yao Ming, and the salary is 875+340+1133+588+444=33.8 million US dollars.
Thanks to Yao Ming's rookie contract that has not yet expired, his salary of US$4.44 million leaves the team with a lot of room to reach the salary cap of US$43.87 million. They can also consult the head coach's ideas in the future to sign more suitable substitute players.
The Rockets' main trade operation was completed, and many sports media immediately increased their optimism for the team's performance in the new season.
In the eyes of Fang Zhuo, a team owner who knows football, Nash, who has MVP ability, and Carter, one of the four shooting guards, are the ones left out. Nash may not be able to hit the ground running in the Rockets, but his own excellent shooting and counterattack
It is enough to sort out the team's offense.
The offensive firepower of Nash + Carter + Yao Ming is more than enough.
Defensively, Yao Ming is a deterrent on the inside, and Carter + Kurt on the forward line are also very effective. Nash at the back needs to make up for the leaks due to his physical fitness, but his defensive attitude is also positive.
In the new season, with the Lakers' F4 combination disintegrating, the Rockets already have the strength to hit the championship this year. Only the Spurs and last season's defending champion Pistons need to pay attention.
However, Fang Zhuo feels that in addition to signing some dynamic defensive players, he also needs to replace coach Van Gundy with a coach who is more flexible.
At this point, general manager Colon Lolo is still looking for a suitable candidate.
Overall, Fang Zhuo was very satisfied with the Rockets during the trade period. Compared with the work he had to do, it was like heaven and earth.
On July 12, after another two days of futility, Fang Zhuo began to consider the worst case scenario.
He vaguely felt that he might have to wait for the international situation to change before he could gain permission for national defense.
Although the ice core is just a scrap in the semiconductor field and a little-known new player in Western countries, the signatures of the four major departments are still in front of him, which makes him more and more aware of the severity of technological blockade.
This is a very important reason why domestic Huahong and Huajing are in trouble.
That night, Fang Zhuo communicated with Bingxin's domestic high-level officials and held a meeting with the procurement team. Due to the obstruction of the national defense, everyone's mood was a little low.
"Mr. Fang, if it doesn't work out, let's work on an alternative plan and take our time."
After Qiu Ciyun finished the meeting with Fang Zhuo, he turned on the phone to express his attitude.
Fang Zhuo smoked a cigarette and said nothing. If Bingxin could not get a license like SMIC, it would probably have to struggle and become another Huajing Huahong.
Alternative plans may still be able to tie up domestic TV manufacturers and maintain a certain degree of survival or even small-scale profits, but large-scale development will inevitably be insulated from the ice core, and first-class equipment and technology cannot be used.
As for how long this situation will last, maybe it will continue forever, or maybe one day there will be some kind of opportunity in the relationship between the two countries.
Fang Zhuo sighed: "Mr. Qiu, this is really painful."
Qiu Ciyun consoled him: "Mr. Fang, we actually have this determination to engage in semiconductors."
"Even if you can't get the approval?" Fang Zhuo asked.
"I can't say everything. At the very least, I can express my personal position like this. If we can't buy good equipment for ice cores, then we will get some old equipment. We will just wait for the opportunity. Even if I, Qiu Ciyun, wasted my life in Luzhou,
That's it." Qiu Ciyun took pleasure in the pain and said with a smile, "I'm not young anyway, I can sit still and hold on until I die."
Fang Zhuo was silent.
Qiu Ciyun continued: "But I also want to ask Mr. Fang, if Goldman Sachs and IDG fail to get the approval, will Goldman Sachs and IDG withdraw at the expiration date? Will Mr. Fang also give reasons to withdraw from the semiconductor industry?"
He listed: "Continuous losses, factory burden, equipment procurement, Mr. Fang, I can actually understand these reasons."
Fang Zhuo smiled, put out the cigarette, and said: "Mr. Qiu, I will not quit because of a temporary defeat. If the national defense is not approved today, then wait until next year, the year after that, five years, ten years. If it is not approved then,
, we will wait for the localization of equipment, and wait for the country to pay more attention to this aspect."
"You Qiu Ciyun dare to say that you are wasting your time in Luzhou until you die, then I, Fang Zhuo, dare to say that when you die, I will fuck the ice core until I die."
He finally said: "Mr. Qiu, it's not that I don't have money, it's not that I'm afraid of making money. Now that I have money, I can't spend it!"
"Okay, okay, okay, Mr. Fang, I feel relieved if you say this." Qiu Ciyun said with a smile, "The road to Xiongguan is really like iron. Now that we are crossing it from the beginning, Mr. Fang is not afraid, I am not afraid, and Bing Xin is not afraid either.
"
"Mr. Qiu, you must have regular physical examinations so that we can spend more time together." Fang Zhuo ended the call in a relaxed tone.
However, when he put down the phone, his brows immediately furrowed.
Mr. Qiu's statement is of course a comfort, but this is a chain reaction trend.
One of Bingxin's bargaining chips in recruiting high-level technical personnel and management is company options. If equipment procurement fails, Bingxin's prospects will quickly dim. Mr. Qiu is willing to accompany Bingxin in its waste time. What about the others?
If others want to leave Ice Core to pursue their ambitions, is there any reason to stay?
Fang Zhuo had a lot of thoughts in his mind, thinking about a more appropriate way to deal with it.
At 8:30 in the evening, just as Chairman Bingxin was considering further arrangements, an unfamiliar number suddenly called his cell phone.
"Hello, Mr. Fang, I am Sun Zhizhou, the deputy marketing director of Texas Instruments. I heard that Ice Core is seeking approval for equipment procurement. Are you interested in chatting?" The deputy director of Texas Instruments, who called himself Sun Zhizhou, got straight to the point.
Fang Zhuo was startled and said calmly: "Texas Instruments? Since Mr. Sun called me like this, of course I am interested."
"How about we chat in the coffee shop on the second floor of the hotel?" Sun Zhizhou said another thing that surprised Fang Zhuo, "My colleagues and I have already arrived at the hotel lobby."
"Okay, Mr. Sun, wait a moment."
Fang Zhuo put down his cell phone, put out his cigar, climbed out of the bathtub, simply changed his clothes, and arrived at the coffee shop on the second floor of the hotel.
He didn't call anyone else, intending to see what Texas Instruments' purpose was first.
From a narrow market perspective, Texas Instruments and Ice Core are in a competitive relationship, but they are industry giants and Ice Core has not yet started, so there is no comparison between the two.
If we talk more broadly, Texas Instruments also provides solutions for the semiconductor industry, and Ice Core can serve as a downstream foundry in the industry chain.
However, Texas Instruments is not on Ice Core's equipment purchase list, and has never had any dealings with it. If we have to say that it is related, Texas Instruments provides Apple with Ipod chips. This is what Yike learned after dismantling and researching.
So, what is the purpose of Deputy Marketing Director Sun Zhizhou constantly mentioning "approval for equipment purchase"? What kind of help can they provide?
Fang Zhuo, who has tried many methods, naturally doesn't mind hearing about the changes coming to his door.
Sun Zhizhou and Deyi had four people in total, but the other three just exchanged business cards and left space for the deputy director and Fang Zhuo.
"Mr. Fang, I heard that Bingxin encountered some audit difficulties in the national defense. Deyi can help you." Sun Zhizhou did not make any mystery, it was simple and direct.
Fang Zhuo smiled slightly and said: "We have indeed encountered some difficulties. We, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank are working hard on this."
Sun Zhizhou understood the other party's reluctance to reveal his secrets, and smiled: "Mr. Fang, since I came here today, I do so with sincerity. I personally admire Mr. Fang's business achievements, and I also regret that the ice core equipment procurement is hindered by the national defense.
.”
Fang Zhuo admitted calmly: "Yes, I didn't expect the national defense to be so sensitive to a normal commercial company, but we are already considering German and European equipment manufacturers."
Sun Zhizhou was slightly startled and shook his head: "I'm afraid it will be difficult to obtain equipment for ice cores from Europe. The scope of the Wassenaar Agreement includes Europe."
Fang Zhuo asked rhetorically: "Have you ever thought before that ice cores can obtain procurement licenses from the three departments of energy, commerce, and state affairs?"
Sun Zhizhou hesitated slightly.
Fang Zhuo continued: "Deutsche Bank is an important shareholder of Bingxin. Bingxin is also a company with global capital shareholders and is registered in the Cayman Islands. For national defense reasons, we are considering changing the location of the factory from Huaxia to
Berlin."
"Whether it is Goldman Sachs, DCM, IDG, or Deutsche Bank, we have every reason to believe that with the relocation of the ice core, the last obstacle to defense procurement approval will be overcome."
He took a sip of coffee and said lightly: "Mr. Sun, your thinking is too simple."
Sun Zhizhou fell into thinking.
No problem. If the ice core, which has been licensed by three departments, is moved to Berlin, the sensitivity of national defense will be reduced a lot, and Deutsche Bank, one of the shareholders, will inevitably exert influence.
Although Ice Core is in trouble now, it is not without solutions.
However, the policies proposed by Berlin will definitely not be as good as those of China, and there will also be a loss of engineers.
But if the ice core is really pushed into a hurry, it certainly won't be able to care so much.
Sun Zhizhou thought about it, his attitude in his heart dropped a lot, and he still smiled and said: "Mr. Fang, I believe you would rather put the ice core in China."
What he said was a judgment on the sentiments of this country and nation.
"Yes, who says it isn't? China's policies are too favorable and labor is quite cheap." Fang Zhuo said calmly, "But if I can't purchase the equipment, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank won't allow me to do this.
"
It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I will be forced by capital to relocate the factory.
Can I, an ordinary person, still be able to defeat the will of capital?
Sun Zhizhou nodded slightly, convinced.
He reorganized the language and said: "If Deyi can provide a solution that has the best of both worlds, I believe Mr. Fang would still prefer to continue with the original development plan."
"Well." Fang Zhuo picked up the coffee cup and leaned back, "Mr. Sun, tell me."
Sun Zhizhou opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Fang Zhuo.
"Before listening to Deyi's conditions, I am curious about your abilities. I believe Mr. Sun came here tonight not to waste time." Fang Zhuo showed a small smile.
Sun Zhizhou thought for two seconds and said: "Mr. Rumsfeld once served as chairman and CEO of Texas Instruments. Today, TI..."
He used a description that was more in line with Eastern culture: "Deyi and national defense still have some incense and affection."
Fang Zhuo's expression did not change.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
I agreed, I agreed to whatever you said.
Defense Secretary Rumfield's resume has naturally been studied, but his tenure at Texas Instruments has been traced back to more than ten years ago, and the ice core is now stuck at the first threshold.
Moreover, Texas Instruments sold its defense business to other companies seven years ago.
I never expected that Texas Instruments would have such confidence that it would come to our door.
Don’t be afraid of spending money, be afraid of not spending it!
This chapter has been completed!