MMB Chapter 1678 Industrial Temptation
Chapter 1678 Industrial Temptation
Chapter 1678 Industrial Temptation
"Mr. Li, how did your meeting with Nippon Steel go this morning?"
As soon as the conference room door opened, reporters swarmed in. As a large enterprise in this industrial and trade delegation, Honggang Group naturally attracted the attention of the Japanese media.
On the same day, at the same time, meetings in other industrial sectors would not necessarily have seen such a scene of reporters swarming around them.
"Mr. Li! Are Honggang Group and Nippon Steel competitors?"
"Mr. Li, is Nippon Steel intentionally targeting your company?"
Li Xuewu walked out of the conference room without saying a word, following the path cleared by the office staff, until he heard the question.
In the crowd, a petite female reporter in a white business dress was holding a microphone, trying her best to stand out among her colleagues.
She looks like a canoe on the ocean, always at risk of being capsized by the waves.
However, this situation froze instantly when Li Xuewu stopped and looked at the media, as everyone had assumed he would not give an interview.
But this tense atmosphere lasted only a moment. The reporters remembered that the representative of Honggang Group had been triggered by the question.
So they frantically stretched out their wired microphones, circling the edge of the previous question and asking even more pointed questions.
"Mr. Li, you and Mr. Nishikawa haven't reached an agreement, is that right?"
"Mr. Li, are you disappointed with Nippon Steel?"
"Mr. Li! You..."
“First of all, I must emphasize,” Li Xuewu said calmly amidst the eager inquiries of the crowd, “that the meeting with Mr. Nishikawa just now took place in a harmonious atmosphere.”
"Secondly, we came with sincerity, so there's no question of disappointment."
“One last thing,” he nodded to Yoshiko Oshima in the crowd, and said, “this is only the first day, the first morning. Thank you.”
He answered the reporters' questions in three sentences, then turned and left, not giving them any more time or opportunity to ask questions.
The reporters at the scene seemed to have grasped the key point of his answer, and they all turned around and ran out as if they had been injected with stimulants.
They had even already drafted a title in their minds:
Nippon Steel's visit to Honggang Group, a key industrial and trade enterprise in Japan, was met with a cold reception; Nippon Steel's attitude was arrogant!
"Day 1 is in trouble! They're very disappointed!"
The first bucket of cold water from Nippon Steel!
……
Which newspaper do you work for?
A senior colleague glanced at Yoshiko Oshima, and seeing that she was alright-looking, took another look at her.
But that's all. At most, they'll leave behind a comment like "commendable courage" or "promising future."
Some even felt she had stolen the spotlight and couldn't help but mock her, saying, "She's lucky."
Yoshiko Oshima ignored these words, glanced in the direction the Honggang Group representative had left, and quickly left with her briefcase.
She was better prepared than anyone else present; even the questions she had just asked and Li Xuewu's reaction were part of her plan last night.
They have prepared multiple strategies and methods for today's and the schedule to come.
Their preparations certainly went beyond that; her briefcase contained three press releases, each addressing a different situation.
After leaving the building, Yoshiko Oshima decisively hailed a taxi and headed straight for the Yomiuri Shimbun headquarters.
The press releases in the briefcase weren't entirely written by her; they also included some polishing and revisions by Mr. Li.
As an independent journalist for the Yomiuri Shimbun, Yoshiko Oshima certainly possessed certain writing skills; otherwise, she wouldn't have been hired by the newspaper.
But during their conversation last night, she discovered that this business leader, who was even younger than her, actually possessed more professional writing skills and a keen sense of news.
She was even certain that the deputy director would be shocked when she submitted her press release. Yoshiko Oshima couldn't wait to report back to the company and see the expression on the face of the deputy director who had been bullying her.
As for why she would cooperate with her father's killer to do these things, the reason is actually not complicated.
Before Kenichi Nishida contacted her, she didn't even know her father was still alive, so her father was missing from her life.
Secondly, her mother was very secretive about her father's past, which shocked and confused her when she learned about her father's profession.
In particular, Kenichi Nishida's coercive and enticing methods made her feel fear and disgust, and she was very afraid of following in her father's footsteps.
Then, Mr. Li frankly admitted that the conflict between him and her father was not a personal grudge, but a necessary choice for work.
From her perspective, Li Xuewu could be her father's killer, or he could be a complete stranger.
It's just that her father chose a dangerous profession, and even abandoned her and her brothers, and their mother.
At this moment, she was also filled with resentment, wondering what kind of profession and pursuit could make her father choose to abandon his wife and children and endure doing that kind of work.
As a journalist, she has a keen eye and sense of smell, making it easier for her to discern Mr. Li's integrity and honesty amidst complex emotions.
On the contrary, Kenichi Nishida, and even his father and the forces behind him, posed a greater danger to her.
At least Mr. Li never intended to harm her or ask her to do anything.
The fact that Kenichi Nishida was able to find her means that the organization her father once worked for had already sold her off as a commodity.
Looking at Kenichi Nishida, he tried to entice her from the very beginning with better job opportunities and future prospects, attempting to control her with these.
Would a journalist who yearns for freedom and dedicates his life to freedom of speech succumb to such intimidation and bribery?
So when Li Xuewu agreed to return her father's ashes to her through special channels, she had already chosen to forgive him in her heart.
From her perspective, he was her father, but from Mr. Li's perspective, he was the enemy.
She couldn't blame the other party for being diligent in their work; they were simply working for their own interests.
Choosing to forgive is certainly a good start, and for Kenichi Nishida, it is an opportunity to further promote cooperation between the two parties.
Li Xuewu recounted what Kenichi Nishida had done in China, and it resonated strongly with her impression of him.
When she recounted her experience, Mr. Li showed sympathy and even offered to help her as much as he could.
This openness and sincerity touched her.
Mr. Li didn't make any promises like Nishida did, as if she could ask for anything as long as she did it for him.
The more Kenichi Nishida acted this way, the less she trusted him; there's no such thing as a free lunch.
On the contrary, Mr. Li's cautious sympathy felt more genuine to her.
Therefore, the two reached a preliminary cooperation agreement regarding Kenichi Nishida.
She will act as an informant, providing Li Xuewu with all information related to Nishida Kenichi and systematically protecting her from this dangerous situation.
If the cooperation between the two parties can achieve its ultimate goal, she will not only be able to completely get rid of the shadow of Kenichi Nishida and the organization that her father once served, but also gain fame and fortune.
To put it into practice, she will follow in the footsteps of Honggang Group and continuously create news hotspots in the coming week.
While helping Honggang Group achieve success, she, as a news discoverer, will certainly gain the recognition and trust of the leadership.
As a reporter for the Seiji News, she was naturally aware that Japan was seeking to establish normal diplomatic relations with China.
This means that in the near future, she will have many opportunities to frequently make headlines on this topic.
Li Xuewu also promised that he would do his best to help her obtain the best interview resources whenever she went to China.
What's there to hesitate about? One is the past, the other is the future; she could make the right choice with her eyes closed.
-
"Ichiro Nishikawa's reaction was exactly as I expected; he really came with Macau Railways in mind."
Li Xuewu led his team back to their office. After the security personnel closed the conference room door, he finally spoke, saying, "Wanting 17% of the shares? Haha, they're still dreaming of dominating Australia's iron ore resources."
Why was the Australian iron ore group owned by Oriental Times Bank able to achieve such success so easily upon entering the Australian iron ore market?
The logic is simple: Australia doesn't want Japanese capital to dominate the market. They would be happy to attract more capital to jointly mine iron ore resources.
After the Australian Rail Group entered Australia, they clearly felt the tension of Japanese capital.
In this situation, the potential for Australia to gain more benefits has increased significantly.
More investors, more leverage.
Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, and other companies have already begun talks with Oriental Times and are preparing to introduce third-party capital.
At that point, it won't be Nippon Steel eyeing the shares of CRRC, but rather CRRC taking a slice of the pie from Japanese capital.
Different voices will also emerge at the board meeting, acting as a check and balance.
Therefore, Nippon Steel cannot afford to be complacent, and conglomerates like Mitsui and Ito are even more anxious. The cry of the wolf is definitely not a joke.
"How much is 17%?" Gao Yaqin thought for a moment and asked, "Are they willing to pay a premium to acquire the shares?"
"Of course, the price is very generous."
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "You could even say he's very sincere. If I didn't agree, I'd be being ungrateful."
"If that's the case, it seems they're really in a hurry." Gao Yaqin's face also showed a smile, because she was directly involved in the Australian Rail project.
Among the management of Honggang Group, she is the only one who has traveled abroad the most times and visited the most countries.
She even traveled as far as East Germany and France, and during that time she frequently went to Australia, always transiting through Hong Kong.
"You chose to meet with Nippon Steel on the first morning, surely you had other motives?" Gao Yaqin asked with a smile. "Did you gain anything?"
“Of course,” Li Xuewu placed his notebook on the conference table and said with a smile, “the pressure should be on them now.”
"What other preparations have you made?" Gao Yaqin looked at him amusedly and said, "Why are you being so mysterious?"
"It's not mysterious, but it needs to be kept secret."
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows, then looked at the steel industry group in the conference room, and slowly nodded, saying, "Everyone should have already had some impressions from this morning's meeting."
"A glimpse into the whole reveals the true nature of the Japanese steel industry's leading companies. Their attitude is certainly distasteful, but they do possess genuine strengths."
To entice Honggang Group to submit, it's not enough to just acquire the 17% stake at a premium; there are also many tempting technological and equipment supports.
Li Xuewu was as stubborn as a mule; he didn't want to be coerced or tempted, but he was interested in the technology offered at the meeting.
"Send the content mentioned at today's meeting back to China and let them study it as soon as possible. We will then combine it with the project list and tackle it step by step in a targeted manner."
He pointed at the conference table and emphasized, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you can buy something with money, don't hesitate. When it's time to act, act decisively."
"If you can't buy it with money, then find other ways to force them to sell. If that doesn't work, then cooperate with their competitors to destroy them."
Are you willing to trade market access for technology?
Gao Yaqin understood his words and reminded him, "We probably don't have the qualifications to directly import steel products from Japan yet."
“Of course we have it, but we can’t import it directly, that would be too disadvantageous.” Li Xuewu shook his head and said, “We don’t need ordinary steel, we can produce this ourselves.”
"Their special steel, shipbuilding steel, and automotive steel are of very good quality. We can source these directly, which will further reduce costs."
He thought for a moment and said, "Their steel industry is mature, so importing steel is actually cheaper than importing iron ore and producing it themselves."
"Of course, this will directly affect the group's steel manufacturing industry and the domestic metallurgical industry, but this sacrifice is worthwhile."
“I understand what you mean.” Gao Yaqin frowned and thought for a moment before saying, “But have you considered that the other party might choose to yield for such a small profit?”
"Of course not." Li Xuewu glanced at the crowd in the room and said, "The Yingcheng Trade Port is about to open and operate, and the normalization of diplomatic relations is only a matter of time."
"Actually, we have a big bargaining chip in our hands, which is how important the domestic market is to them."
"The next five years or ten years?"
Gao Yaqin couldn't help but remind him, "Even if diplomatic relations are normalized, it's impossible to open up the market quickly."
"But the raw materials market will be opened."
Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "That's for sure; raw materials are not subject to trade restrictions."
"Furthermore, we must recognize that even if the civilian market doesn't open up so quickly, it won't be too slow either."
At this point, he looked at the others and explained, "We are too close to Japan, and we already have relatively mature trade channels."
"Over the years, trade between the two sides has maintained a steady upward trend, which is the main reason why they invited our industrial and trade enterprises to Japan."
Li Xuewu tapped his fingers on the table and emphasized again, "I'm not telling you this so you can use it as leverage in negotiations, but so you can understand the situation."
"Honggang Group's influence across the country can be described as second to none. The industrial categories it covers can be described as a large-scale comprehensive group enterprise, which is no less than those large companies."
He said very seriously, "Comparing the two sides, we must admit that there is a gap, but this gap is not a reason for us to be discouraged or feel inferior."
"Market principles inherently define mutual need as the foundation of trade; they need us, and we need them."
The gazes of the people in the room shifted, especially those who were deep in thought, already considering their next steps.
The first thing Li Xuewu did upon returning was to give them some pointers in order to boost morale. He warned them not to succumb to the temptation of the offer.
For him, all collaborations always come with conditions, whether it's with the other party or with Honggang Group.
"I'm going to Honda this afternoon, so I can't stay here for a more extensive discussion."
Li Xuewu nodded slowly, then looked at Gao Yaqin and asked, "How's it going on your end? Have you finalized the afternoon's schedule?"
"Yes, I will accompany Bai Changmin from Jingcheng Chemical to Toray Chemical."
Gao Yaqin nodded seriously and explained, "I estimate that we won't be able to get the carbon fiber, because it's a new project that they just started."
"However, there is no problem with polyester fiber and synthetic resin, because we have already introduced quite mature equipment and technology in China."
“Then let’s get this sorted out as soon as possible,” Li Xuewu said directly. “We can’t waste too much time on Beijing Chemical.”
“Take a look at Hitachi Chemical and Rohm Chemical. We need semiconductor technology and electronic components, especially industrial ceramics.”
He emphasized, "Hitachi Chemical, in particular, has excellent electronic materials technology, and both companies are involved in automotive parts."
“These technologies may not be the most advanced, but they are the most mature,” Gao Yaqin reminded him. “First of all, we don’t have our own factory to convert production capacity. Even with Jingcheng Chemical, there’s still a layer between us.”
"Secondly, these technologies are definitely not cheap. They require a lot of real money to invest. Whether it's worth it for the electronics and auto parts industries alone is debatable."
"Finally, there's the procurement of technology and equipment, for which I need a professional team to support me."
“Get the electronics industry team to cooperate with you,” Li Xuewu waved his hand and said directly, “Don’t worry about money. I’ve said it before, the technology that can be bought with money is the most cost-effective.”
"What I fear most is that the technology we've set our sights on won't be sold, or that it will be sold under conditions. That would be the biggest headache."
He nodded and said, "You don't need to worry about industrial transformation. The Beijing Chemical Industry Park isn't their monopoly."
"We'll take these technologies back, sell them first, and then keep some for ourselves. We won't lose out anyway."
"..." Gao Yaqin was a little stunned. She never expected that Li Xuewu would be so shameless.
What does it mean to sell one item first and then keep the rest for personal use?
Isn't this a violation of the essence of business cooperation, showing no regard for the attitude of Japanese companies? This has nothing to do with his emphasis on international credibility.
Is this unreasonable behavior only directed at Japan?
-
"Mr. Li, why did you choose Honda as your destination for the first day of your visit?"
The afternoon's itinerary didn't involve any key companies, so far fewer Japanese media outlets were following them; only four or five reporters remained at the scene waiting for them.
Honda can be considered the third largest automaker in Japan, but during this highly anticipated trade and industry visit, more attention was focused on Toyota.
It is understood that the leaders of Beijing Automotive and Factory No. 17 have gone to Toyota Motor Corporation, so many reporters went there.
Honggang Group certainly has a greater influence among conglomerates, but he has already provided a lot of material today, and the reporters want more.
Having already received the emotional value she desired from the deputy director, as well as the joy of her manuscript being approved, Yoshiko Oshima naturally appeared at the scene.
Scene at the Honda Yaesu Building, Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
Because there were few people, she was able to stand at the very front and loudly ask Li Xuewu, who had just gotten off the bus, a question.
"Mr. Li, what are your company's key projects of interest?"
Will Honggang Group engage in deeper cooperation with Japanese companies?
……
It's easy to see from the questions raised at the scene that these journalists represented the views and questions of the Japanese public on this matter.
If Honggang Group can cooperate with Japanese companies, it means that Japanese products will soon enter the mainland market.
Similarly, Chinese products are about to enter Japan, and Japan, which is heavily reliant on agricultural products, hopes that prices will decrease.
However, Li Xuewu maintained his usual aloof demeanor, straightening his suit after getting out of the car without answering the reporters' questions.
Honda arranged for its Executive Director, Kawashima Yoshimi, who is also in charge of technology and production, to meet with Li Xuewu.
The position of managing director is equivalent to that of a group vice president. With Soichiro Honda, the current chairman of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., stepping down as president of Honda R&D Institute, this vice president, who is in charge of technology and production, is highly respected.
Li Xuewu certainly valued the meeting with the other party, because he preferred the ambitious Kawashima to meeting an old man like Honda Soichiro.
"Mr. Li, welcome to Honda Motors."
Kawashima's attitude was much more sincere than Nishikawa Ichiro's in the morning. Since there was no direct conflict between them, his attitude was relatively mild.
However, precisely because there was no conflict of interest involved, the other party's gentleness also revealed a respectful distance.
The power struggle among the four executive officers is in full swing, and Li Xuewu can understand Kawashima's desire to avoid any unnecessary complications.
However, he didn't think he would leave empty-handed this time, because since the other party was worried about unexpected complications, they must have been willing to receive a surprise.
Now it remains to be seen what surprises he can bring to the other party.
"It is a great honor to see you. I am already certain that coming to Honda today was the right choice."
Honda and Toyota have different management structures. Although President Soichiro Honda still serves as president, the day-to-day management authority has been delegated to the four executive directors.
You can tell the difference between Honda and Toyota just by the way they are addressed; Toyota's chairman is called "Chairman".
Honda also has a vice president, Takeo Fujisawa, who is in charge of management, sales, finance, and human resources, and is in charge of daily operations.
You can tell just by looking at what he's in charge of. This vice president can't directly participate in production management, so Li Xuewu didn't want to meet him.
By skipping the president and vice president, and going directly to the executive director in charge of automotive R&D and production technology, Li Xuewu's goal was focused enough.
It was precisely because of Li Xuewu's words that Kawashima Yoshiki once again raised his regard for him to a new level.
"Then I hope that the rest of today's meeting will be worthwhile for you, Honda."
He Daoxiang nodded slightly and politely invited Li Xuewu and his team into the conference room, skipping the reporter interview session. Both sides behaved very professionally and directly.
The reporters were understandably annoyed at being kept out, but since they were already there, they could only wait and hope that Honggang Group would have a successful start.
Who most hopes that Honggang Group can achieve something in Japan?
To put it simply, almost everyone in Japan, even those scoundrels, hopes that the two sides can establish normal diplomatic relations.
No one in this world would turn down money, even if their brains are full of shit, they still know that money is useful.
Even before the arrival of the trade and industry delegation, Japanese media had already begun targeted publicity efforts.
Although Honggang Group is not the largest enterprise in China, it appeared in the core position of the publicity.
This was not a request made by the visiting team, but rather the most reasonable judgment made by the Japanese side based on existing market exchanges and cooperation.
Honggang Group possesses independent trading rights, financial management capabilities that connect with the port city, and has a cooperative case with Sanhe Co., Ltd.
Almost unanimously, many Japanese companies have already determined that Honggang Group is the most interested in cooperation among the visiting team members and the company most likely to achieve further cooperation.
Therefore, Honggang Group has more resources and resources for exclusive interviews. The fact that Li Xuewu can meet with Nippon Steel in the morning and Honda in the afternoon says it all.
That's how business works; it's normal to devote more attention and effort to whichever client is easier to cooperate with.
“I’ve noticed that Honda is about to launch the Life. My team gave me a brochure, and it looks very refined.”
After his opening remarks, Li Xuewu smiled and pointed to a brochure he had brought, saying, "Especially regarding market positioning."
Japan has a small land area, and so does its living space, especially in large cities like Tokyo, where many families find it inconvenient to use large vehicles.
But what if you can't do without a car?
Those who watched the Crayon Shin-chan anime in later generations still remember what the two cars Shin-chan's family bought looked like.
That's right, those compact cars are what Japan calls KCars.
Furthermore, Japan has some rather peculiar regulations, with many large cities requiring residents to have a parking space before they can buy a car, and the size of the car must match the size of the parking space.
If you say there are only small parking spaces available and you want to buy a larger car, they won't sell it to you.
The Life model that Li Xuewu just mentioned is a classic example of a K-Car:
The car is a two-door hatchback with dimensions of 2995×1295×1340 mm and a wheelbase of 2080 mm.
Engine: Water-cooled inline 2-cylinder SOHC 356cc engine with balance shaft, compatible with low-lead gasoline.
It's easy to see from the data that this is Honda's first mass-produced water-cooled gasoline car, marking their full shift to water cooling.
From the exterior and functional design of the car, it is not difficult to see that it is positioned the same as the Red Star Twins.
Of course, Li Xuewu wasn't saying that Honda was copying the Twin Stars, but what did he mean by saying it in this context?
Yes, great minds think alike.
Speaking of small cars, Honda's N360, launched in 67, is a classic example of a K-car. However, it had an air-cooled two-cylinder engine.
“I am aware of your company’s comprehensive automotive industry.”
Kawashima understood the meaning behind his words, smiled and nodded, saying, "It's hard to imagine that a heavy steel industry like yours could develop such a good automobile industry in such a short time."
"It was very difficult, and I'm sure you can understand how hard we worked," Li Xuewu said earnestly. "Our automobile industry has reached where it is today entirely through a process of catching up."
“During this period, we have surpassed some of our peers, or rather, achieved some success, but we are still a beginner in the global automotive industry.”
"Hahaha—" Hearing his description, Kawashima Yoshiyuki couldn't help but laugh loudly, shaking his head slightly and saying, "We're learning too."
"Of course, the sign that a company is still competitive is whether it still has the ability to learn."
Li Xuewu did not indulge the other party or give in to their speech. Instead, he expressed his own opinions and views directly after showing sufficient sincerity.
"In some aspects of car manufacturing thinking, Gangcheng Automobile, owned by Honggang Group, and your company have a similar definition of the market."
He smiled and said, "Of course, that's one of the reasons I chose Honda as my first stop, because we're more similar."
"Yes, I agree with that."
The two people sitting opposite each other in the middle of the conference table were probing each other back and forth, rapidly advancing the progress of today's negotiations.
It's almost certain that the first three days of meetings were for assessing whether there was any intention to cooperate, and the real work would begin afterward.
The Japanese side arranged a whirlwind tour on the first day, and only on the second day were they given time to move around freely.
Li Xuewu and Gao Yaqin split up, while Old Li followed his instructions and went to work with Director Han and the others.
The current situation is very favorable for Honggang Group because it has received more attention, and the other party they chose to negotiate with will also feel this pressure.
They did not want to give up this rare opportunity for cooperation, nor did they dare to easily refuse it.
As I always say, it all depends on fate.
Li Xuewu's attitude gave Kawashima Yoshiyuki a very favorable and positive signal.
Both sides are determining whether they have the opportunity to cooperate, and the representatives from both sides attending the meeting are also organizing and judging based on their conversations.
"I heard you have a car model that shares the same name as Toyota?"
He Daoxiang was no pushover either. When Li Xuewu pointed out that their car was similar to the Gemini, he immediately retaliated by pointing at Li Xuewu.
Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Our land cruisers are positioned differently from theirs in the market."
"You should know that our Tundra and Cruiser have not yet entered the civilian market."
Seeing that Kawashima liked doing this, he then mentioned Honda's popular 1300 and Coupe series.
Unlike Toyota's conventional business models, Honda's sedans at this time still had a somewhat cramped and small-scale feel.
The 1300 is a four-cylinder, air-cooled, front-wheel-drive vehicle, while the Coupe series is more sporty, but it is also part of the 1300 series.
To put it bluntly, Honda is not that competitive right now, and they can't be arrogant in front of Honggang Group.
Judging from what he said, he had made some preparations before Li Xuewu came and had learned about the basic situation of Honggang Group.
“Our automotive industry has benefited from the cultivation and evolution of the market,” Li Xuewu said enticingly. “The domestic market is in short supply; as long as we produce, we can sell.”
"Furthermore, we have a very professional R&D and sales team, and we have also introduced advanced technologies and R&D capabilities from around the world."
"Yes, I know, it's East Germany, right?"
Kawashima deliberately pointed out here: "I don't know how advanced East Germany's automobile production technology is now."
"They have a very solid foundation."
Li Xuewu smiled meaningfully and emphasized, "At least it has a stronger foundation than Japan's automobile industry."
"Even if they have wasted time over the years and failed to produce better technology and products, they can still squander their past achievements for a while."
He didn't go into detail about the technologies that Honggang Group had acquired in East Germany, because that was itself a trump card.
Nowadays, Honggang Group exports cars overseas. Honda must have studied Hongxing Automobile; otherwise, it wouldn't be considered a world-class car company.
However, the information they obtained from dismantling the vehicles may not be comprehensive, because the technology brought back from East Germany may not all be used in the production of the new generation.
Now that Li Xuewu has a trump card in his hand, he has a certain advantage, at least in negotiations.
Kawashima had to admit that his point was correct; East Germany definitely had a much stronger industrial foundation.
Even after so many years, Japanese industry has developed rapidly and can look down on German industry in some industrial sectors.
However, some things are not invented out of thin air, but are developed step by step, and there are traces to their origins.
As long as Honggang Group masters the basic technology, it will have a chance to catch up, which is one of the reasons why Honda Motor has to pay attention to Honggang Group.
The global automotive market is enormous, and they are not afraid that Honggang's cars can have an impact and exert pressure on Honda.
However, their focus on the mainland market necessitates a full consideration of Honggang Group's influence in the mainland.
What is your production capacity like?
Kawashima Yoshiyuki couldn't help but look at the materials in his hand and asked, "How many car manufacturing plants do you own?"
"If we categorize them by type of automotive industry, we can identify at least thirty factories, but that's not how we categorize them."
Li Xuewu smiled and introduced, "Honggang Group only has one enterprise related to the automobile industry, which is Gangcheng Automobile Manufacturing Plant."
"And Gangcheng Automobile is located in the group's own industrial park, with a very complete range of supporting industries, including various parts manufacturing enterprises."
He boasted boldly, "This year, we have established the largest automobile industrial park in the country in the same steel city, which is the same area."
"The nation's largest automakers will all set up branches here, building our automotive city in the steel city, just like Detroit."
Kawashima was taken aback and looked at him with some suspicion, unsure whether there was any exaggeration in his words.
Of course, based on their current assessment of the state of industrial enterprises in mainland China, they can also roughly evaluate the value and industrial level of the enterprises mentioned by Li Xuewu.
If Honda can't compete with Toyota globally or domestically, it's because it lacks market share.
To put it another way, the fact that Honggang Group came to Honda must mean they lacked the necessary technology and processes, and they were mentally prepared to negotiate.
Honda is certainly also paying attention to the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as well as subsequent trade relations.
They certainly hope to sell Honda cars in mainland China; whoever captures this market will have the opportunity for development.
Let's consider another approach: if we surpass our competitors, could we have the opportunity to enter the mainland market ahead of time using technologies in other senses?
By collaborating with Honggang Group, exporting technology, and cultivating Honda's manufacturing processes in advance, will the cooperation between the two parties in automobile research and development and market development bring Honda the opportunities that this era has given it?
"If we're talking purely about production, then our automotive industrial park in the steel city will be the most influential part of the mainland over the next 30 to 50 years."
Li Xuewu smiled confidently and said, "Our parts don't even need to travel more than ten kilometers from production to assembly."
He raised an eyebrow and said, "You can assess how much we can reduce our production costs."
"Furthermore, we have the world's best workforce, and we can even operate in three shifts around the clock to keep production running continuously."
Li Xuewu tapped his finger on the conference table and emphasized, "Moreover, we can guarantee the quality of technology and craftsmanship."
"Give us time to learn and develop our technology, and I believe that in the future, our automobile city will become the world's automobile production capital."
Kawashima didn't quite believe this, but he couldn't refute Li Xuewu's words because, when it came to cost reduction, even Japanese workers couldn't compete.
In Southeast Asia, he had already noticed that Red Star Motors was selling very well and had a very high market share.
why?
Simply talking about market share is misleading; the real issue is that prices are lower.
Honda, as a representative of industrial enterprises, is known for its cars being of high quality and low price, but it cannot compete with Hongxing Automobile.
They have even given up on direct competition because a price war would only hurt themselves.
The production cost of Hongxing Auto has always been a mystery. They even discussed how much management investment would be needed to ensure such a construction process when dismantling the cars.
As it turns out, today's meeting with Li Xuewu has somewhat dampened Kawashima's spirits.
He even considered that if he opened Honda's factory in the mainland, without having to enjoy the convenience of auto parts in the auto city as Li Xuewu said, he could still say that the cost would be significantly reduced.
If there were another car market, I can't even imagine what it would be like if they went back to Japan to sell their cars.
"You're collaborating with the Japanese electronics industry?" He seemed to realize something and looked at Li Xuewu, asking, "Is it Sanhe Corporation?"
“Yes,” Li Xuewu smiled and said, “It was a successful collaboration, and we had a very pleasant experience working together.”
"They provide the technology, and we share research and development. This year, they have invested in a large electronic research institution in mainland China."
Li Xuewu continued, "In the electronics industry, Honggang Group also has Gangcheng Electronics, which has a very strong electrical appliance production capacity."
This is temptation; Kawashima loves to envy it!