But I still didn't agree to meet her that night because I've been too busy recently and too tired. I set the time for the weekend.
The first batch of cars we co-produced with Japan have already rolled off the production line. On the day the cars rolled off the production line, both Governor Wang and Governor Huang came to attend the grand ceremony. This news was broadcast on Jiangnan Provincial TV Station and CCTV.
In fact, the first batch of products rolling off the production line that day was just a ceremony. Some of the products had already been released before that, and I even went to test drive them.
This car is for family use, with a pretty appearance, and it is a mid- to low-end car in terms of price. The first batch of cars to leave the factory were all automatic transmission cars. We had a dispute with the Japanese side on this issue at the beginning.
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We think we should produce some manual transmission cars, because our country used to be relatively backward in the use of cars. Many organizations and individuals mostly use manual transmission cars, so we should consider the habits of the Chinese people, and the price of manual transmission cars.
Relatively speaking, it is relatively cheaper.
However, Japan insists on producing only automatic transmission cars. They believe that automatic transmission cars are the future trend of family cars, and because they are simple to operate, they are more acceptable to most beginners. The Japanese side believes that China is the largest market for family cars.
It is a huge family car market in the future, and most of the drivers in the future will be those who are new to driving. In addition, automatic transmission cars also give people the concept of high-end cars, which is in line with the Chinese people's pursuit of high-end and face-loving mentality.
Moreover, Japan has also launched the next step of research and development of high-end cars. In the near future, the factory will form a brand model that mainly produces mid-range and high-end family cars.
Later, we were persuaded by the Japanese because we thought what they said was very reasonable. Moreover, the Japanese had conducted a thorough investigation into the family car market before, and they used a large amount of survey data to convince us. In this regard, we really
Unlike the Japanese, they are very serious and meticulous in everything they do.
In fact, the Japanese know us Chinese best, especially when it comes to Chinese people’s concept of brands, because Japan itself is also the country that likes luxury goods the most in Asia.
A recent report shows that the Japanese have lost the "honor" of being the number one consumer of luxury goods and were replaced by China, whose per capita income is far lower than Japan's.
Asians, including Japan, prefer luxury goods, especially those prohibitive top brands such as Hermes, Dior, LV, John Galliano, LANVIN, YSL, etc. Even overseas Chinese women who impress people with their hard work and frugality,
Luxury bags like LV are often carried on the shoulders or in the hands of women.
People in European and American countries will only consider buying expensive brand-name products that match their worth only after they have been promoted to a certain position. But Asians are different. Regardless of their origins, they will spend a lot of money as long as conditions permit.
Buy Armani, Burberry, etc.
As far as China's car consumers are concerned, the top consumers are the hard-working business elites, the wealthy and successful, and the rich second generation who enjoy life. They buy hundreds of years of history and valuable products.
Spending money on luxury cars is like buying rice and groceries. Their pursuit of cars has always been reflected in the brand and appearance of the car. World-renowned car brands include Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, Jaguar, etc., because this type of car can best reflect a person.
A symbol of nobility.
Most of us Chinese people have the same standard for car appearance, which is the word "big". Now most Chinese people are still pursuing sedans, because sedans can embody the kind of "big" that people often say
Come in style.
Due to the Chinese people's pursuit of cars, many foreign brands are now taking the initiative to transform the appearance of their cars in order to seize the Chinese car market. In this regard, the French emblem is an obvious example. Originally, the emblem 07 only had a hatchback sports model in foreign markets.
sedans, but in order to seize the Chinese market, they took the initiative to convert hatchbacks into sedans.
In the final analysis, this is a matter of pursuing face, and it is also a consumption concept of the Chinese. However, I think this consumption concept of the Chinese is not entirely a matter of face. I think it also contains the inherent shrewdness of our people.
in.
In the final analysis, a brand means good quality and durability. Why not spend more money for something like this and at the same time satisfy your own self-consciousness?
After I test-drove the newly manufactured car, I felt that the handling was very good, and the space inside the car was relatively large. It immediately gave people a heart-pounding feeling.
From this, I have to admit that Japan's opinion is correct.
The Japanese are really very smart, and they immediately asked us to replace the taxis in Shangjiang City with cars of this brand produced locally.
This matter was brought up for study when Mayor Liu was here, but it was rejected at the government executive meeting. Among them, I was one of the most determined opponents. Because I was considering our joint venture car
The future sales of the production plant. As a local government, such support is necessary and necessary.
However, I feel that the current problem has become a bit troublesome. Because we only produce automatic transmission cars, and this kind of car consumes more fuel than manual transmission, which will inevitably increase the operating cost of taxis, so then
The next issue is the issue of increasing the starting price of taxis and increasing charges based on kilometers. I am worried that this matter will not pass at the hearing, because such a large price adjustment will cause a substantial increase in citizens' travel expenses.
The people in Shangjiang City are used to taking rickshaws for shopping on weekdays. However, with the acceleration of urban construction, in order to maintain the future image of the city, most rickshaws will be banned in the future and replaced by taxis. If taxis are used,
If the price of car rides is too high, it will inevitably increase the burden on the people.
However, the Japanese do not think so. They have studied the urban construction plan of Shangjiang City and believe that only automatic brand taxis can reflect the future quality of this city. They said that taxis in major tourist cities across the country are all
It is equipped with high specifications, and in the future our Shangjiang City will become the largest tourist city with migrant population in Jiangnan Province besides the provincial capital. Therefore, the increase in taxi prices will not affect the income of taxi drivers. As Shangjiang City
As openness deepens, people's incomes will also increase, and they will not care too much about taxi price increases.
I think what they said is very reasonable, but I still have a concern, so I agreed to hear the case first and then make a decision based on the situation.
The Japanese side immediately suggested that I personally preside over the hearing. I understand what they mean, because if I personally preside over the hearing, the power to persuade the citizens will be much greater. However, I am a little disgusted with their interference in our administrative affairs, so
He did not express his position immediately.
In response to this, Kazuo Tanaka invited me to have a meal alone. His purpose of inviting me to this meal was very simple, just to convince me.
I have to admit that Kazuo Tanaka is a very shrewd businessman, and he also has a very good understanding of our country and the mentality of our people towards the Japanese.
He said to me: "Mayor Feng, we have no intention of interfering with the work of the Shangjiang Municipal Government, but we need your strong support. In fact, our interests are now tied together. We are 51% with you."
Compared with 49% of the shares, in terms of economic benefits, the difference is actually not big. Right, Mayor Feng?"
I nodded, "That's right."
He continued: "Chinese people, including many countries in Asia, have a hatred of Japan. I can understand this. After all, we Japanese have caused huge pain to China and even the entire Asia, but I still
In that sentence, everything in the past has passed. Now we have entered a new era. We should forget the past and focus on the future.
Of course, we Japanese should also reflect on our past and apologize to the Asian people for our past. But this is not a problem for our companies, but a matter for our government. Mayor Feng, our common purpose now is to
To develop the economy, it would be unwise to blindly view and deal with the problems between us with hatred. Don't you think so, Mayor Feng?"
I immediately asked him back: "But has your Japanese government reflected on it? Has it apologized?"
He shook his head and said: "Mayor Feng, as I said just now, that is a matter between the government and has nothing to do with our company. For our company, what we pursue is only profit. And your local government has no authority over such an issue.
I asked about it.
Mayor Feng, I speak more directly, so please forgive me. What we want to talk about now is our business cooperation. There is a sentiment among the citizens of your country that all Japanese products should be boycotted.
However, since your country carried out reform and opening up, we have strengthened cooperation in many fields, especially in the economic field. Our household product technology, automobile technology, etc. are all entering China, and most of them are jointly produced with you. As for automobiles
In terms of the industry, in the global automobile industry chain, Japan plays the role of a basic parts production base. Taking automatic transmissions as an example, many key parts including European and American models, independent brand models, etc. are actually produced in Japan.
Among the parts and components produced in Japan, high value-added parts including semiconductors and microchips have an absolute advantage around the world. Asia, North America, and Europe are all Japanese auto parts export regions, among which integrated circuits, sensors,
Engines, transmissions and other components have very strong international competitiveness.
We in Japan are China's largest importer of parts and components. However, in this era of increasing globalization, the production of a product is often completed by the division of labor and collaboration of people from all over the world who do not know each other. The production of automobiles is a clear proof.
Even purebred Japanese cars produced in Japan still need spare parts from other countries. At the same time, almost all cars have Japanese blood in their blood. To boycott Japanese cars, the logical conclusion is to boycott all cars.
Mayor Feng, do you agree with my statement?"
I have to admit that what he said is very reasonable. Nowadays, the cooperation between China and Japan in the economic field is getting deeper and deeper. I have him and I have him, and this kind of cooperation has indeed contributed to the economic development of our country.
It has brought great vitality, and both parties have gained huge benefits.
And what he said earlier makes some sense. The political and diplomatic issues between the two countries are not something that our local government and his company can interfere with. As far as our Shangjiang City and their company are concerned, the most critical issue between us is
Things are actually economic benefits.
In fact, I also have some feelings of hatred towards Japan at this point. In the final analysis, this is something inherited in the national blood. This is not a mistake, but a deep-rooted and lingering emotion.
But now that I am the mayor of this place, I must temporarily give up the emotions in my heart and face rationally some of the problems that exist in our cooperation. Again: the most important thing for our country now is development.
, only when a country's strength has increased, can it have the most say. As for our local government, vigorously developing our local economy and allowing the people to live a more prosperous life is what our local government, and even our country, has to do
This is the primary responsibility of the mayor.
I had to nod to agree with his point of view, and then said: "I will carefully study the relevant issues of the hearing before talking about it. In fact, we have had such an idea about this matter for a long time. As a local government, we support the development of local enterprises.
It is also a responsibility and obligation.”
I kept thanking me, and we drank a lot of wine. The Japanese started talking too much when he was drunk. He said to me: "Mayor Feng, in fact, many of the problems in our two countries are caused by
Issues left over from history. After World War II, when Japan was defeated, it was your Kuomintang government that gave up our war reparations.
Chiang Kai-shek said this at the time: It is the Japanese warlords who are responsible for this war, not the Japanese people. It is unfair to ask the Japanese people to bear war compensation. Later, your Communist Party government also followed the Kuomintang period.
There are many reasons for this policy toward Japan. On the one hand, it is political factors. On the other hand, after the end of World War II, Japan was in ruins. Even if we were asked to compensate, we were powerless. Of course, your later Communist Party government considered
What matters more are political and diplomatic factors.
However, we in Japan are grateful for your country's approach. Now there is an indisputable fact that from the implementation of the first batch of yen loans in 1979 to the present nearly thirty years, we in Japan have
The government has provided a total of 3.2 trillion yuan in Japanese yen loans to the Chinese government. In fact, many countries in the world know that these aid loans are equivalent to war reparations.
For this reason, our Japanese government has also created a great gap with countries such as South Korea and the Philippines. Mayor Feng, Japan and you, China, are two countries separated by a narrow strip of water. The grievances between us cannot be simply discussed.
It’s clear. So again, we should focus on the future and common development is the last word.”
I found that this Japanese actually used our country's political terminology in a set way, and his statements were indeed an indisputable fact. However, I felt that his statement was actually a way of avoiding the important and minimizing the important. I thought to myself,
Since we are just chatting now, and since he has already touched on this aspect of the issue, I should also express my attitude.
I said: "Anyway, as a defeated country in World War II, Germany and Japan have completely different attitudes towards reflection on World War II. In 1970, Federal German Chancellor Brandt visited Poland and knelt down in front of the Warsaw Jewish Holocaust.
In front of the monument, the German people stood up from then on.
But what about Japan? Your textbooks downplay or even glorify the war of aggression against China. Your prime minister always shows no sincerity in repenting when he visits the Yasukuni Shrine. Mr. Tanaka, this is unacceptable and understandable to the people throughout Asia who have been invaded by you.
.This is also an indisputable fact, right?”
He nodded and said: "Mayor Feng, what you said is true. But as I said before, this is a problem of our Japanese government. In fact, many countries in the world do not understand the pain in our Japanese hearts. Accurately
To put it bluntly, Japan is now equivalent to a colony of the United States. They have stationed troops in our country, and our government must look at the faces of the Americans in everything they do.
Mayor Feng, this is the biggest pain in the hearts of our Japanese people. So I can also understand that our Japanese government contends with Asian countries. This is just a way we must maintain our own face." (To be continued)