Chapter 269 Prelude to the Development of Australia
Not long after Zhang Hao returned to the auditorium, the annual meeting of entrepreneurs officially began.
Amidst a burst of warm applause, a group of senior federal officials made a grand appearance. Perhaps due to time constraints, the meeting omitted many traditional links.
In short, everything must be simple.
At the beginning of the meeting, the host first made a few opening remarks, and then came the highlight of the day. Archon Ji took the speech and stood directly on the podium.
"Ladies, gentlemen, friends:
I am very happy to attend this annual meeting of entrepreneurs.
First of all, on behalf of the Federation, I would like to express my most sincere welcome to all the guests!"
"Bah bang bang..." Applause resounded throughout the auditorium.
"Today's world is undergoing major changes unseen in five thousand years, with various challenges emerging one after another, economic recovery struggling, and federal development encountering serious setbacks.
Where is the Federation headed?
Peace or war? Development or decline?
Cooperation or confrontation? Unity or division?
These are the issues of the times before us, and they are also urgent tasks.
The long river of history is sometimes calm and sometimes rough, but it always rushes forward..."
While listening to the speech, Zhang Hao whispered to his two sisters. Anyway, he had no plans to invest in Australia and could leave after the meeting.
"Brother, what did Uncle Li want to do with you just now?"
Zhang Jiaqi asked in a low voice.
"It's not Governor Li, it's Mayor Chen who came to see me for something." Zhang Hao corrected.
"Okay, what does Mayor Chen want from you?"
Zhang Hao did not find it too troublesome and patiently explained what happened in a nutshell.
Zhang Jiayi was a little moved after hearing this: "Xiaohao, since you are the one taking the lead, can we also..."
"Second sister, the energy industry is a pet peeve of the higher-ups and will not be allowed to be interfered with by private individuals. Let's not have any illusions." Zhang Hao interrupted directly.
"Don't fool me." Zhang Jiayi frowned, "I just heard someone say that the higher authorities are preparing to fully open up Australia. Whether it is coal mines or iron mines, unlimited investment can be made."
"Who did you listen to?" Zhang Hao asked.
"Wang Chuanxi."
"Wang Chuanxi?" Zhang Hao couldn't help but be stunned: "Didn't he retire? Why didn't he go back to New Zealand?"
"BYD is in the spotlight now, so why are you returning to New Zealand? Wouldn't it be nice to stay?"
"Isn't that the only reason?" Zhang Hao shook his head and then explained: "Although Wang Chuanxi likes to be arbitrary, he is not the kind of person who loves power."
Zhang Jiayi smiled knowingly: "I also heard from other people that there seems to be serious internal fighting at BYD, and currently only Wang Chuanxi can suppress it."
"Li Shufu and Sterling?"
"Well, that's the two of them."
Zhang Hao immediately became interested: "Who has the upper hand?"
"It's Li Shufu. Haven't there been rumors of war recently? BYD has received a large order for military vehicles from the military, and most military vehicles are fuel vehicles. Li Shufu wants to take the opportunity to transform, but Sterling is firmly opposed."
"Route battle?"
"Yes, Li Shufu believes that in the current environment, fuel vehicles have more advantages."
Hearing this, Zhang Hao couldn't help but complain: "Isn't this reversing the course of history? How many years have it been since fuel vehicles were eliminated? Is it still necessary to pick them up?"
"You can't say that. Don't forget that the military has expanded its army by three to four million at one time. How many military vehicles will this require? BYD can make ends meet just by relying on orders from the military.
Besides, what Mr. Li said is not completely unreasonable. Even a huge city like Huicheng will have power outages every three days, let alone other central cities. In comparison, fuel vehicles are undoubtedly more practical.
”
Zhang Jiayi analyzed it carefully.
Zhang Jiaqi nodded quickly and echoed: "I think the second sister's point of view is right. Although the price of electricity is cheaper than the price of oil, fuel vehicles are indeed more practical, otherwise it will be troublesome if there is a long power outage."
"Forget it, this matter has nothing to do with us."
Zhang Hao shook his head slightly.
According to the current strength of the Minde era, even if BYD reveals a flaw, the possibility of acquiring the other party is almost zero. Moreover, the risk of war is increasing day by day. Now he just wants to keep his peace and does not want to make any more troubles.
Zhang Jiayi did not continue to argue: "Okay, let's get back to the point. Even if you are right, there is really no way to intervene in the oil wells, but what about Australia's coal mines? They are strongly supported by the higher ups? There are no restrictions."
"I don't want to invest in coal mines either."
"What's the reason?"
"I don't want to make bloody money."
Zhang Hao is straightforward and confident.
Zhang Jiayi rolled her eyes on the spot: "Are you lying? So many crew members have died in Southeast Fisheries, but I haven't seen you shed a single tear."
"Ahem, there's nothing we can do about Southeast Fisheries..."
"No need to explain to me, if you don't want to make money, no one can force you."
Zhang Jiayi is not angry.
After saying that, she turned her attention back to Archon Ji's speech, not wanting to listen to her younger brother's nonsense.
Zhang Jiaqi was immediately curious: "Brother, what are you thinking about? Who thinks there is too much money?"
"Third sister, my father once told me that there is no business that is guaranteed to make a profit without losing money. The more profitable the business, the greater the risk."
Zhang Hao just made an excuse.
"What do you mean by this? Are the higher-ups still trying to kill the donkey?" Zhang Jiaqi asked in astonishment.
"Don't ask me, I don't know either. I just have a vague feeling that it's not simple here."
Zhang Jiaqi pouted: "I'm pretending to be serious, but I don't know which of your words is true."
"Believe it or not."
……
Governor Ji's speech lasted for more than two hours. Because it was an annual meeting of entrepreneurs, the theme of the speech revolved around how to restore the economy. The other party was well prepared and proposed more than a dozen specific measures in succession.
But the focus is still on helping the Australian region attract investment.
After the speech, it was time for lunch.
The moderator announced that the meeting would be adjourned for two hours.
Before Zhang Hao could walk out of the auditorium, he was pulled away by Governor Li. The local business bosses in Huicheng planned to use their lunch break to calculate the coal mine business in the Australian region.
"Governor Li, didn't I tell you that I won't invest in Australia? Why are you dragging me along?"
"If you don't go or go back, why can't you still express your opinion?" Governor Li said indifferently.
"To be honest, I know almost nothing about the coal industry. What opinions can I have?"
Zhang Hao smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Governor Li immediately persuaded him with good words: "You are not called the fortune teller for nothing. Everyone wants to hear your opinion, so just do me a favor, okay?"
"Let me first state that I am not responsible for anything I say."
Zhang Hao received a dose of vaccination in advance.
"Okay, you don't need to be responsible. I'll take care of things for you. You don't have to worry about anything, just say whatever you want." Governor Li quickly assured.
Zhang Hao breathed a sigh of relief and asked casually: "Who is waiting for me?"
"There are not many people, there are only seven people, namely Mr. Ma from Penguin, Mr. Xu from Pengrui Group, Mr. He from Midea, Mr. Yao from Oppein Home Furnishing, Mr. Wang from Zhengwei Group, Mr. Li from Dajiang Hutchison, and
Mr. Zheng of Zheng Dafu."
"Why aren't there Mr. Wang, Mr. Li and Mr. Sterling from BYD?" Zhang Hao asked in confusion.
"They are just like you. They are focused on their careers and are not interested in Australia."
Governor Li replied.
Zhang Hao was immediately in awe: "With such huge interests in front of them, they can resist the temptation. It's really rare. I admire them."
"You! Are you praising them or yourself?" Governor Li laughed and cursed.
"Hey, there are all of them!"
Zhang Hao speaks without shame.
Soon, the two came to a small private room in the restaurant. After introducing each other, everyone started chatting while eating.
Mr. Wang from Zhengwei Group was the first to speak: "Director Zhang, I have a rare opportunity today. I would like to ask, what do you think of the future prospects of the Australian region?"
Zhengwei Group itself has a copper mining business and has rich operating experience. Mr. Wang himself is known as the "Federal Copper King" and is the most motivated among everyone on site.
"Don't hesitate to ask for advice. Let's learn from each other." Zhang Hao paused and then expressed his opinion: "Australia is rich in resources, vast and sparsely populated. Overall, it is quite good and completely worth investing in." p>
"How is the coal industry? Is there any investment value?" Mr. Wang asked immediately.
"It goes without saying that the prospects of the energy industry are certainly the top priority in the future. It can be said to be a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity."
Zhang Hao did not sell out.
"Great!" Mr. Wang patted the tabletop excitedly, "Since Director Zhang is also optimistic about it, why don't we join forces and go to Australia to mine together?"
"Sorry..."
Mr. Wang interrupted directly: "Director Zhang, listen to me. After all, we are not familiar with the Australian region. Only through cooperation can we jointly resist risks and maybe win the largest mining area." p>
It can be seen that Zhengwei Group has great ambitions.
"Mr. Wang, you misunderstood. I don't want to go it alone, but I don't want to invest at all. Governor Li can vouch for this."
Zhang Hao is honest and fair.
"What?" Everyone was shocked.
Governor Li nodded and said with a wry smile: "Everyone, Director Zhang did not lie. He indeed has no plan in this regard."
"Director Zhang, if it's convenient, can I ask for the specific reason?" Mr. Wang couldn't wait to ask, "Is there any hidden secret here?"
"There is no secret, it is entirely my personal reasons."
Mr. Li of Dajiang Hutchison, before Zhang Hao's rise, was known as the "most powerful second generation rich". He has always been very cautious, and he immediately opened his mouth to test:
"Director Zhang, if we have anything to say, we might as well say it directly. Your coming here really makes people feel uneasy."
Zhang Hao put down Kuaizi and said sincerely: "You are all seniors in the business world and have far more experience than me. I think everyone has already made a conclusion in their minds as to whether Australia is worth investing in.
The reason why I am hesitant is just for peace of mind. I am really optimistic about the Australian region, but my energy is limited and I don’t want to add any more burden to myself."
"Director Zhang, if you find it troublesome, all you have to do is provide the money. We will do everything else for you. We are all respectable people here, so we cannot tamper with your money."
Penguin’s boss Ma couldn’t help but interject.
They, Penguin, were originally Internet giants. Now they are facing a severe situation and have to diversify their investments. The Internet is too fragile and they must enter the industry.
Zhang Hao spread his hands: "To tell you the truth, I really have no money. The money I invested in Minde Times was borrowed from my hometown."
"How about this!" The person who spoke was Mr. Zheng of Zheng Dafu, "We can also lend you a sum of money. Director Zhang, you don't have to pay back a dime, just deduct it from your annual dividends slowly." "Why is this so?" Zhang Hao simply couldn't laugh or cry.
It’s true that the richer you are, the less money you have.
"Director Zhang, as you just said, we just want to have peace of mind, and we ask you to agree."
Mr. Zheng spoke with sincerity and sincerity.
Faced with the money delivered to his door, Zhang Hao had no reason to refuse: "Okay, each of you will lend me 10 million, just ask for it."
"Ten million is not enough? We Penguins are willing to pay one billion." Mr. Ma said boldly.
In the past two years, due to the sudden drop in temperature and the high unemployment rate, most people have become stay-at-home men and women.
Under such circumstances, their company's game business has completely exploded, with monthly revenue directly exceeding the 30 billion mark, more than three times the previous amount.
Right now, their company is really not short of money.
Mr. Zheng followed closely: "Let's do this, we Zheng Dafu will also pay one billion."
Zheng Dafu is the largest local jewelry company. In the past two years, due to the skyrocketing gold price, it has made a lot of money. Now it is so "poor" that only money is left.
"We are the same, but we also contribute one billion."
The third person to speak was Mr. Wang from Zhengwei Group.
In fact, their company's cash flow is not abundant, and can even be said to be a bit tight, but in order not to be looked down upon, they can only pretend to be fat.
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Next, the other four companies also spoke one after another, each with a price of one billion, adding up to seven billion, accounting for about 3% of the total investment.
In other words, the total investment is as high as more than 230 billion.
On average, each company invested 25 billion.
This also includes the Guangdong government, which provided a piece of industrial land and accounted for 5% of the shares.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Governor Li smiled happily than anyone else: "Director Zhang, there are many coal mines in Australia, which one do you think we should acquire?"
Zhang Hao took out his mobile phone and checked the specific data. Suddenly, he had an idea and spit out five words:
"Tasmania."
"You're talking about Tasmania, right?"
"That's right." Zhang Hao nodded: "Currently, there is only one coal mine in Tasmania, and that is the Yaffingale Valley Coal Mine. In the past, due to environmental issues, the level of development was very low, and the potential is huge."
"Why not choose the Carmichael Coal Mine? It is the largest coal mine in Australia, with total reserves of 27 billion tons. More importantly, this coal mine was put into operation just two years ago, and the mining area has basically not been touched."<
/p>
Mr. Wang from Zhengwei Group expressed his confusion.
Zhang Hao smiled and waved his hand: "Although the Carmichael Coal Mine is good, the goal is too big and the competition will be fierce. There are many state-owned coal giants among them. I am not pouring cold water on it. Do you think there is hope?"
In addition, there is one more thing I have to say.
In the dream, a newly discovered super coal mine with reserves of up to 50 billion tons was discovered on the island of Tasmania, which was almost twice the reserves of the Carmichael coal mine. It instantly caused a sensation in the entire federation.
"There's no harm in giving it a try. What if you succeed?" Mr. Wang said with a look of reluctance. "And as far as I know, the coal mine in Tasmania doesn't have high reserves, only about one billion.
Tons, it looks like a lot, but compared with the Carmichael Coal Mine, it’s not worth mentioning.”
"Mr. Wang, let me see, instead of fighting against the Carmichael coal mine, we should try our best to win the coal mining rights in Tasmania. In such a big place, there may be surprises."
Zhang Hao tried his best to persuade him.
Mr. Wang hesitated immediately. He turned to look at Governor Li: "Leader, what do you think?"
"Both ideas have their own pros and cons. If I had to vote, I would vote for Tasmania. It's not that the Carmichael coal mine is bad, but it's too difficult and the success rate is minimal.
The people on top of a coal mine of the size of the Carmichael Mine are not idiots and cannot give it up. Even if they really want to give it up, we still have to compete with other states, so it’s not that easy anyway.
The most important thing is that I am willing to believe in Mr. Zhang’s luck. Mr. Zhang never disappoints anyone, and I understand this deeply.”
Governor Li analyzed in detail.
Mr. Wang nodded, and then looked at Mr. Ma and others, wanting to hear other people's opinions.
Mr. Ma did not hesitate and stood directly on the side of Governor Li. Under the current situation, there is nothing wrong with following the official lead.
As for the others, three of them preferred Tasmania, while the other two were also unwilling to do so. They proposed to make two preparations.
Seeing this, Zhang Hao shrugged: "It's not impossible to prepare with both hands, but I personally prefer to focus on Tasmania."
"Then it's settled. I, Lao Zheng and Dong Xu will form a group, including Governor Li, and the rest of you will form a group. We will divide our troops into two groups and act separately."
Mr. Wang quickly agreed.
I'm afraid Zhang Hao won't agree.
Although the other party holds the smallest share, it has the greatest influence. However, even so, he does not regret getting the other party to invest in it. After all, there are no hypocrites under the reputation.
Zhang Hao waved his hands repeatedly: "I don't need to, right? We agreed that I don't have to worry about anything."
"I asked Director Zhang, can you do it just this time?" Governor Li asked angrily, "Aren't you very familiar with Minister Yin of the Ministry of Energy? This acquisition cannot bypass the Ministry of Energy no matter what."
"Yes, Director Zhang, please help me!"
Mr. Ma immediately echoed.
Zhang Hao couldn't shirk it, so he could only lament: "Okay, just this time, it won't be the same next time. But there is no time before the year, let's take action after the year, right?"
"Don't. As soon as the news broke out today, it will probably go crazy outside. Action will be taken soon. We can't take it lightly."
Governor Li advised tactfully.
"Governor Li, it's not that I'm being pretentious, it's really not okay. You also know that the first day of the Lunar New Year is the day when my third sister gets married. As a younger brother, I can't be absent, right?"
"This matter is easy to handle. Your third sister is a sensible person. I will do her work, so you can rest assured." Governor Li patted his chest and assured.
"Hey, what is this!"
Zhang Hao couldn't help but complain.
These are all elders, so he has to give them face.