In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 1013 The Invitation to the Capital: Lin Haoran's Transnational Intimidation!

On March 7th, news came from Director Luo of the Guangdong Provincial Power Department.

Just as Lin Haoran had expected, the central government agreed to establish a joint venture power company in Guangdong Province.

However, the central government has also imposed limitations, namely, that this scope is limited to the three cities of Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta region. As for whether the scope can be expanded in the future, it depends on the future cooperation results and actual needs.

The central government's attitude is clear: it supports reform and prioritizes solving the biggest problem of power shortages in several cities in the Pearl River Delta, but it must proceed cautiously and not open the door too wide all at once.

The Pearl River Delta is at the forefront of reform and opening up, and it has the most serious power shortage problem. The pilot program will be carried out in these three cities first.

Lin Haoran had no objection to this. Although the pilot program in the three cities was limited in scope, Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou were the places where he had the most concentrated industrial layout in the Pearl River Delta.

At the same time, these three places are also where his industries are most concentrated. As long as the power shortage problem in these three places is solved, it can temporarily meet the needs of the explosive growth of the mainland economy.

Director Luo expressed his hope that Hong Kong Electric Group and CLP Power would send teams to Guangdong as soon as possible to discuss the matter and expedite the establishment of the joint venture.

The goal is singular: to resolve the power shortage in the three regions within this year.

After all, if we're talking about who's most anxious, it's definitely the Guangdong provincial government.

They were anxious because they could have developed at an even faster pace, but electricity became a major obstacle.

Every year, power shortages cause economic losses of hundreds of millions of dollars, dampen foreign investors' confidence, and prevent factories from releasing their production capacity.

Now that the central government has approved the plan, Guangdong Province is naturally the most active in promoting it.

Lin Haoran was well aware of this, so he did not delay and immediately instructed Chen Shulin to organize the technical and financial teams of Hong Kong Electric Group to prepare to go north to Guangzhou again to discuss the specifics of the joint venture power company with Guangdong Electric Power and CLP Power.

As for CLP Power, the relevant departments in Guangdong Province will naturally notify them.

In addition to these, Lin Haoran also received an invitation from Director Luo.

Those in Beijing learned that Lin Haoran had been in Guangdong for some time and hoped he could find time to visit Beijing again.

This wasn't the first time he'd received an invitation from the capital, but each time he felt it carried significant weight.

This is not just an ordinary invitation to visit, but also a recognition of his investment and contributions to the mainland over the years.

Since the reform and opening up, there has only been one foreign businessman like him who has invested on such a large scale and with such a deep presence in the mainland.

The central government's attention to him is both reasonable and deserved.

The purpose of inviting him to the capital is unknown, and it was not explicitly stated by the authorities.

However, Lin Haoran did not refuse.

Actually, he originally planned to stay in Shenzhen for two more days before heading to Guangzhou.

Now that we've received an invitation from the capital, let's go and have a look around.

Whether it's the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant or the Guangdong-Guangdong joint venture power company, the most important negotiations have already concluded, and he no longer needs to be involved; Chen Shulin will take full responsibility.

Whether he stays in Shenzhen or goes to Beijing, it won't affect the project's progress.

Moreover, he couldn't very well refuse the invitation from the capital.

We still have to give face to the central government.

Moreover, it's been over a year since he last visited the capital.

The last time was back in 1981.

"Xiaohan, would you like to go to Beijing for fun?"

In an office on the 22nd floor of the Hong Kong Electric Building in Luohu District, Shenzhen, Lin Haoran put down the invitation and turned to ask Guo Xiaohan, who was looking at the scenery of Shenzhen through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Since arriving in Shenzhen, Guo Xiaohan has not followed Lin Haoran, but has instead focused on her charitable work.

Just yesterday, the two of them attended the completion ceremony of the new Hope Primary School at the foot of Bijia Mountain.

“Beijing? I’ve never been there before, of course I want to go! But Haoran, I miss our son. It’s been a week since I last saw him. I haven’t been away from Yaoguang for this long since he was born.” Guo Xiaohan said with a mix of surprise and anxiety.

The last time Lin Haoran went to Beijing, he went with Liu Xiaoli; Guo Xiaohan had never been there before.

"Missing our son? Then let's go back to Hong Kong today, and tomorrow we'll fly from Kai Tak Airport to Beijing to pick him up and take him with us, okay?"

Guo Xiaohan looked up, her eyes lighting up.

"Can I really bring Yaoguang along?"

“Why not?” Lin Haoran patted the back of her hand. “There are arrangements in Beijing, but we can arrange our own itinerary. Our son is still young and can’t be separated from his mother. You’re not comfortable leaving him in Hong Kong.”

"Then let's take him with us, and have the nanny come along too. We'll stay in Beijing for a few days, like a family trip."

Guo Xiaohan nodded vigorously, a bright smile spreading across her face.

"Okay, let's go back to Hong Kong now."

She was already quite impatient.

For first-time mothers, the love they have for their children is something that is hard for others to understand.

She missed her son terribly every day during the week she was away from him. Before going to bed at night, she would always call back to Hong Kong and have the nanny put the phone to her son's ear so she could hear his babbling before she could fall asleep peacefully.

Now that she can finally go back to pick up her son, she wishes she could sprout wings and fly back.

"No rush, let's have lunch before we leave." Lin Haoran pulled her back to his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed Li Weidong's number. "Weidong, make the arrangements. We'll be heading back to Hong Kong at 2 PM."

"Good boss."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran dialed Chen Shulin's number again.

"Chairman Chen, I'm going back to Hong Kong this afternoon and to Beijing tomorrow. Keep a close eye on the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant and the Guangdong-Guangdong joint venture power company. If there's anything you can't resolve, call me anytime."

"Don't worry, boss, I'll keep a close eye on things," Chen Shulin said on the other end of the phone. "Have a safe trip to Beijing."

"it is good."

At noon, Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan had a simple lunch at a Cantonese restaurant near the Hong Kong Electric Building, then packed their luggage and took a car to Nanshan Port.

The car stopped at the dock, and Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan got out and boarded the wingboat.

Compared to returning by land, the wingboat was indeed much more comfortable.

If you are traveling from Shenzhen to Hong Kong via the Luohu Port, you will have to pass through the New Territories and Sha Tin, which are mountainous areas of Hong Kong. The roads are not easy to travel, and the journey of just a few dozen kilometers can take nearly two hours.

Returning by wingboat not only significantly shortened the travel time but also greatly improved comfort.

At 2 p.m. sharp, the wingboat departed from Nanshan Port and headed towards Hong Kong.

The sea was calm and the boat sailed steadily.

Guo Xiaohan leaned on Lin Haoran's shoulder, watching through the porthole as Shenzhen Nanshan Port gradually disappeared into the distance, a sense of indescribable satisfaction welling up inside her.

During her more than one-week stay in Shenzhen, she did many meaningful things. She inspected the reconstruction project of a small village in Bao'an District that was devastated by a typhoon last year, attended the completion ceremony of a Hope Primary School, visited the children, and discussed this year's donation plan for the charity foundation with leaders of the Shenzhen education department.

Everything she did made her feel fulfilled and happy.

In the blink of an eye, nearly an hour had passed.

The wingboat was steadily docked at a private pier in Central owned by Hongkong Land Group.

A few minutes later, Li Weidong arrived next to Lin Haoran in his Rolls-Royce.

"Wei Dong, take Madam back to Deep Water Bay first, then come to Kang Le Building," Lin Haoran said directly.

“Yes, boss,” Li Weidong said respectfully.

Lin Haoran turned around, looked at Guo Xiaohan, and smiled, "Xiaohan, you go back to Daddy and Mommy's place to keep Yaoguang company. I'm going to the Kang Le Building and I'll go back tonight."

"Okay, Haoran, you go ahead with your work." Guo Xiaohan nodded and got into the back seat.

Watching the Rolls-Royce drive away, Lin Haoran got into the Mercedes next to him. A dozen minutes later, the Mercedes arrived at the parking lot downstairs at the Kang Le Building.

I easily took the private elevator to the 51st floor.

The high-rise office area is very quiet.

Several senior executives from the Land Group who happened to be present greeted Lin Haoran upon seeing him.

Lin Haoran smiled and responded to each question. He saw Huo Jianning and Ma Shimin in the president's office, seemingly discussing something.

So he knocked on the door and went inside.

"Good afternoon, boss."

"Boss, when did you come back from the mainland?"

The two greeted Lin Haoran upon seeing him.

Lin Haoran laughed and said, "You just got off the ship and came over here. What are you talking about?"

Huo Jianning said respectfully, "I am consulting Mr. Ma about work matters. Several projects invested by Hongkong Land Group in Japan are not progressing smoothly, and I would like to hear Mr. Ma's opinion."

Ma Shimin waved his hand and said with a smile, "President Huo is too modest. The projects of the Land Group in Japan are mainly several commercial real estate developments in Tokyo and Osaka."

Japan's economy has grown rapidly in recent years, with land and housing prices rising. Logically, the project shouldn't have run into problems. So where did the problem lie?

Huo Jianning opened the folder, pointed to the data and charts on it, and frowned slightly.

"The problem lies with our partners. Our partner in Japan is the Mitsui Group. At first, the cooperation went smoothly, but starting from the end of last year, they began to delay the construction period, increase costs, and shift profits."

Our project in Tokyo has exceeded the budget by 20%, and the construction period is also three months behind schedule. We proposed to change partners, but they said there was no such clause in the contract and disagreed.

Ma Shimin paused for a moment, then said, "The business environment in Japan is different from that in Hong Kong. They value relationships, trust, and long-term cooperation."

The Mitsui Group is one of Japan's largest conglomerates. Cooperating with them has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are their abundant resources, extensive connections, and strong financial power; the disadvantages are their aloofness, difficulty in making concessions, and reluctance to compromise.

Lin Haoran leaned back on the sofa, listening to their conversation without saying a word.

Huo Jianning sighed.

“Mr. Ma is right. We chose Mitsui Group because of their strength and resources. But now it seems that strength does not mean good cooperation. They are too domineering at the negotiating table, and it is difficult for us to gain an advantage.”

As Lin Haoran listened, he gradually learned what they were talking about.

"Has Mitsui encountered any difficulties recently?" Lin Haoran asked with some curiosity.

Upon hearing this, Huo Jianning looked at Lin Haoran in amazement and said, "Boss, you are indeed incredibly insightful. Mitsui Group is indeed experiencing some financial difficulties recently."

Although the Japanese economy has developed rapidly in recent years, the Mitsui Group has expanded too aggressively, launching several large-scale projects simultaneously in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, which has put a strain on its cash flow.

They delayed our project, drove up costs, and shifted profits—ultimately, all to alleviate their own financial pressure.

"In other words, it's not that they don't want to cooperate with us, but that they can't come up with that much money right now. Delaying the construction period, increasing costs, and shifting profits are all to get our money in first so they can catch their breath," Lin Haoran said with a smile.

"Yes, boss, you are absolutely right."

Lin Haoran thought for a moment and said to Huo Jianning, "Jianning, can you call Mitsui President Yashiro Toshiro for me? I want to have a chat with him."

Previously, while he was in Japan, he secretly acquired a large number of Toyota Motor shares, and even became Toyota's largest shareholder at one point.

This has led many large Japanese conglomerates to want to acquire these shares from him.

Ultimately, the Mitsubishi Group prevailed, acquiring all of Lin Haoran's Toyota Motor shares for 6000 billion yen.

The Mitsui Group's acquisition attempt naturally failed.

However, despite the failed acquisition, the Mitsui Group has maintained a good relationship with Lin Haoran. For example, many of the projects of the Japanese branch of the Landmark Group are in cooperation with the Mitsui Group.

Of course, JKK Group's collaborations in Japan are not limited to the Mitsui Group; it also has numerous collaborations with other Japanese conglomerates such as the Mitsubishi Group and Sumitomo Corporation.

Upon hearing this, Huo Jianning did not ask his boss why he had personally called the president of Mitsui. He simply responded, picked up the phone on the table, and dialed the number of the Mitsui Group headquarters in Japan.

The phone rang a few times, and then the secretary's voice came from the other end.

Huo Jianning explained his purpose in fluent Japanese, and the secretary respectfully replied that the president was in a meeting and asked him to wait a moment.

About two minutes later, a calm, middle-aged male voice came from the other end of the phone, carrying the politeness and distance typical of Japanese people.

"Mr. Lin, hello, I am Yashiro Toshiro. It's been a long time. How are you?"

Lin Haoran took the phone and said with a smile, "President Yashiro, long time no see. I'm in good health. How about you?"

"Thanks to you, I'm doing well too." Yashiro Toshiro's tone was more relaxed than before. "Mr. Hayashi, you called suddenly because of those projects in Tokyo and Osaka, right?"

"President Yashiro is a straightforward person, so I won't beat around the bush either. The Tokyo project exceeded the budget by 20 percent and the construction period was delayed by three months; the Osaka project exceeded the budget by 15 percent and the construction period was delayed by four months."

I don't care what problems your Mitsui Group has, and I don't want to hear any of your explanations. I only ask that you act in accordance with the contract.

Your delays have significantly increased costs, which is your responsibility. The contract must be executed according to its terms. If you cannot, then the breach of contract should be handled according to its stipulations. This is a fundamental principle of business cooperation, and I believe President Yashiro understands this better than I do.

He didn't give Yashiro any chance to explain, nor did he leave him any room for bargaining.

Because he knows that in the business world, sometimes explanations are just cover-ups, and excuses are just delays.

Mitsui Group's actions of delaying construction, driving up costs, and shifting profits constitute a breach of contract, and there is no need to listen to their explanations anymore.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Yashiro Toshiro's voice became somewhat hoarse.

“Mr. Lin, you are right. The contract should be executed as it is written. Mitsui Group did make a mistake. On behalf of the company, I apologize to you. Please give us some time and we will resolve the issue as soon as possible.”

I have already asked the finance department to adjust the funding plan. A loan will arrive in June, at which time we will make up for the overdue construction payments. We will work overtime to catch up on the Tokyo and Osaka projects and try to make up for the time lost.

Regarding the issues of driving up costs and shifting profits, I will hold those responsible accountable and ensure that this does not happen again.

June, or we'll have to wait another three months!

After listening, Lin Haoran said calmly, "President Yashiro, I don't want an apology or an explanation. I just want results. I want to see the Tokyo and Osaka projects back to normal by the end of this month."

If that's not possible, then we'll stick to the contract. In that case, not only will the project costs be made up, but the penalty for breach of contract will also be paid in full. Furthermore, our Land Group will no longer participate in any future Mitsui Group projects in Japan.

In addition, I know that Citibank is the largest foreign partner bank of the Mitsui Group. President Yashiro should know that I am an executive director of Citibank and I have a certain influence over Citibank's credit policies.

If Mitsui Group is unable to fulfill its obligations on time due to financial problems, I wouldn't mind having Citibank reassess Mitsui Group's credit rating.

Lin Haoran's move can be considered a case of first being courteous and then resorting to force.

He is not someone who likes to threaten others, but when he thinks it necessary, he doesn't mind letting people know his hand.

Citibank is the largest foreign partner bank of the Mitsui Group. If the Mitsui Group's credit rating is downgraded, not only will existing loan interest rates increase, but future financing will also become more difficult.

This is a price that Yashiro Toshiro is not willing to pay.

Especially given the current situation where Japanese conglomerates are generally expanding blindly, the credit rating of foreign banks is extremely important.

If the credit rating is downgraded, the cost of financing from other foreign banks for the Mitsui Group will also increase, which may even trigger a chain reaction and affect the entire group's cash flow.

This consequence is not something Yashiro Toshiro can bear.

As expected, Yashiro Toshiro's attitude changed completely: "Mr. Lin, this is all Mitsui's fault. Don't worry, at most a week, no, at most three days, I guarantee that the Tokyo and Osaka projects will be back to normal."

I will have the finance department prioritize paying the outstanding project funds and make them all up within a week. As for the delayed construction period, I will draw manpower from other projects to work overtime to catch up and strive to make up for all the lost time within a month.

As for the issues of increased costs and profit shifting, these will all be handled by the Mitsui Group. Mr. Lin, please don't worry!

Lin Haoran put down the phone.

Meanwhile, Huo Jianning and Ma Shimin stared at their boss in disbelief.

Good grief, this matter is resolved just like that? (End of Chapter)