Rebirth of Hong Kong Island, leading the technology war

Chapter 633 That's right, I still want to reclaim land from the sea.
Hu Jiangshan paused slightly at this point, allowing everyone time to process his viewpoint, before delivering his final conclusion: "So, returning to President Dong's earlier question, if Tesla were the only car company, it might indeed be insufficient to support Yute Technology's trillion-dollar dream. But what if, stimulated by Tesla like a catfish, a full-scale explosion occurs, with three, four, five, or even six or more mainstream mainland car companies participating in the competition?"

"If these automakers start launching competitive electric vehicles on a large scale in order to seize market share, their demand for high-performance, cost-effective power batteries will grow exponentially. At that time, will Yute Technology, as a leading domestic power battery company, still have to worry about orders and performance?"

“This…” Dong Jianming was speechless for a moment.

Hu Jiangshan's analysis was comprehensive, logically rigorous, and interconnected, making it almost flawless.

He not only answered the question of Yute Technology's own profitability, but also elevated it to the level of national industrial strategy, painting a grand narrative with great potential for Yute Technology's long-term development.

Dong Jianming opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't find any strong reason to refute this perfect logical loop in a short time.

The other directors in the meeting room, including some who had previously been hesitant, nodded involuntarily, their faces showing thoughtful and agreeable expressions.

Clearly, they all felt that Hu Jiangshan's analysis hit the nail on the head, and the prospects he described were quite convincing.

Of course, those present are all experienced businessmen, and they understand that while introducing a "catfish strategy" is theoretically feasible, the ultimate outcome depends on whether mainland Chinese automakers can truly keep up with Tesla's pace and whether some will be eliminated in the fierce competition. There are still uncertainties involved.

However, regardless of the circumstances, the investment logic expounded by Hu Jiangshan is sound at the strategic level and aligns with the general direction of national industrial development.

In the investment world, once the underlying logic of a project can be explained and its great potential for realization can be seen, then the project has extremely high investment value and application prospects.

At this moment, Hu Wenxin, sitting in the main seat, revealed an undisguised smile of satisfaction and pleasure. Seizing this opportunity, he spoke up at the right time, steer the conversation back to the decision-making process itself: "So, President Dong, after listening to Ashan's analysis, do you have any other opinions or concerns about this investment project with Yute Technology?"

Dong Jianming's momentum had been completely suppressed. He shook his head somewhat sullenly, and his tone softened considerably: "No, Chairman Hu, I have no other opinions for the time being."

"Good!" This was exactly the effect Hu Wenxin wanted. He immediately pressed his advantage, concluding in an unquestionable tone, "In that case, we will proceed with the second and third rounds of strategic investment in Yute Technology, in accordance with the group's established strategic plan. I believe everyone has no objections to this?"

This time, clear and unequivocal voices of agreement rang out in the conference room.

All the directors nodded in agreement:
"no problem."

"Agreed to proceed."

"According to plan."

Although Tung Kin-ming may still be somewhat unwilling, or rather resentful, seeing that the tide had turned and the other directors' attitudes had clearly shifted to support, he wisely refrained from speaking out against it. In this situation, continuing to stubbornly stick to his own opinions would be unwise and just asking for trouble.

With this meeting concluded, the controversy surrounding the Yute Technology investment case has temporarily come to an end.

However, after this incident, Dong Jianming, Tian Ziyi, and other directors who originally held deep-seated prejudices against Hu Jiangshan had to begin to re-examine this calm and sharp-tongued young man with a completely new and more cautious perspective.

This guy seems to be much more capable than they imagined!

It seems that Hu Wenxin's extraordinary confidence in his son was not unfounded blind optimism.

This young Mr. Hu, who was once regarded as a spoiled brat and an incapable ruler, has probably really been reborn and is no longer the same as before.

On the surface, Hu Jiangshan maintained a calm and composed demeanor, but deep down he was secretly relieved.

It seems that the hurdle regarding the investment proposal for Yute Technology has finally been successfully passed, and the result appears to be quite good.

Although, if he had really been stumped by the question or found it troublesome, Hu Jiangshan could have easily gotten away with it by saying a few polite platitudes.

But doing so would not align with his current personality and principles of doing things.

Secondly, the effect will definitely be greatly reduced. Not only will it not help her father, Hu Wenxin, consolidate his authority on the board of directors, but it may also make her lose face and solidify the impression that she is an incompetent person in other people's minds.

Fortunately, he was well-prepared and handled the situation appropriately.

At this moment, Hu Jiangshan slowly picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and, with amusement and a touch of amusement, felt the complex gazes cast upon him from the conference room.

Among those gazes were surprise, inquiry, scrutiny, and even a hint of disbelief, as if they were watching an incomprehensible alien who had suddenly barged into the conference room.

However, after that exchange, no one dared to ask Hu Jiangshan any questions for the time being.

The reason is simple: Hu Jiangshan's performance just now was truly outstanding. His analysis was clear and logical, and his arguments were solid, completely exceeding everyone's expectations.

At a time like this, if anyone were to rashly jump out and raise a question, and if the question is not insightful enough, or if Hu Jiangshan easily deflects it again, wouldn't they just look like a fool and be making a fool of themselves?

Moreover, these directors, who have been in the business world for many years, are very clear-headed.

Hu Jiangshan's outstanding performance and successful public appearance today are, in a sense, equivalent to Chairman Hu Wenxin being basked in glory.

This will undoubtedly further solidify Hu Wenxin's position and influence within the group, making his position as chairman more secure.

However, this is not good news for the other directors present, especially those who have other ideas or are not entirely aligned with Hu Wenxin.

This means that their voice and influence on the board of directors may be further squeezed in the future, becoming weaker and weaker, or even gradually marginalized and reduced to an insignificant role.

This is naturally something they don't want to see.

Hu Jiangshan himself was well aware of the principle that too much of a good thing can be bad, and he had no intention of doing anything more outrageous. His long speech about Yute Technology had already been informative and impactful enough, demonstrating his knowledge and depth of thought in a just-right manner.

Saying more might lead to mistakes or cause unnecessary resentment and suspicion.

His plan for today was to listen more and speak less, or even better, to listen without speaking and be a quiet observer.

Achieving the current results is already considered a significant achievement.

The meeting proceeded much more smoothly afterward.

Perhaps it was because Hu Jiangshan's unexpected display of ability had a deterrent effect, or perhaps it was because Hu Wenxin skillfully guided things by this momentum, but when sorting out the group's other businesses and investment plans, Hu Wenxin's work became much easier.

There were virtually no further significant, publicly voiced objections. Most of the previously planned investment proposals were reported and voted on according to normal procedures, and progressed smoothly.

Of course, given the vast scale and wide range of businesses within the Hezhong Group, not all projects have been smooth sailing.

The meeting also discussed several investment cases that even Hu Wenxin himself felt uncertain about, had doubts about, and needed further in-depth research and detailed discussion.

However, people tend to be more rational in their attitude towards these uncertain projects, offering constructive and prudent suggestions rather than simply rejecting or obstructing them.

Just as the meeting was drawing to a close and everyone thought it was about to adjourn, Hu Wenxin suddenly seemed to remember something. She turned around, a warm smile on her face, and asked Hu Jiangshan in a seemingly casual tone, "By the way, Ashan, we've been so focused on discussing matters concerning the group. How's Jiangshan Group doing lately? What are your next development plans? If it's convenient, could you briefly tell everyone about them?"

This question instantly drew everyone's attention back to Hu Jiangshan.

Recently, the name "Jiangshan Group" has indeed become increasingly well-known in Hong Kong's business circles, attracting considerable attention and discussion.

However, most of the directors present did not actually have a clear understanding of this company that was independently created by Mr. Hu.

Many people only know that it seems to operate a space launch site, and that it is located on a remote island.

But what exactly is the main business of this group?
How do you make money?
What will the business models of the future look like?
Most people were completely baffled.

Based on their traditional business thinking, it's hard to imagine how much profit margin and development prospects a company could have if it made operating a space launch site its core business.

Although people don't fully understand how much profit such a high-end field as aerospace can generate, they instinctively feel that such projects require huge upfront investments, have long payback periods, and their profitability is probably not very optimistic. They are more likely to be symbolic or strategic in nature.

Hu Jiangshan himself was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected his father to suddenly bring up the topic of Jiangshan Group on this occasion.

Logically speaking, Jiangshan Group operates independently from Hezhong Group, and there is no equity relationship between the two, nor is there any overlap in their businesses.

However, upon further reflection, he understood his father's intention.

Although the two groups are legally and operationally independent, they are both ultimately owned by the Hu family.

In a typical family business like Hezhong Group, Hu Jiangshan, as Hu Wenxin's son, is the first in line to inherit the business—this is an indisputable fact.

Therefore, the success or failure of his independently established business will naturally be regarded by outsiders as an important part of the Hu family's overall strength and future potential.

His father had him make a symbolic speech here, with a clear purpose: to take this opportunity to bolster the family's image, flex its muscles to the board members present, and imply that the Hu family not only maintained the large Hezhong Group, but also made significant achievements in emerging fields pioneered by the younger generation, and did quite well, demonstrating that the family business had successors and a solid foundation.

Having figured this out, Hu Jiangshan calmly said, "Thank you for your concern, Father. Currently, the various businesses under Jiangshan Group are developing quite smoothly and are basically on the right track. In particular, the core space launch site business has already received several commercial launch orders and successfully completed one launch mission, accumulating valuable experience. If the subsequent orders can also be executed smoothly, I believe that we can attract more new customers and orders by virtue of our reputation."

Hu Wenxin listened to her son's report with a relieved smile, nodding repeatedly and saying, "It's good, it's good! I heard that the Hong Kong government attaches great importance to your aerospace innovation project and is paying close attention to it. You must seize the opportunity, do a good job, and achieve results. Don't have any worries. If you encounter any difficulties in the process, you can communicate with me at any time. The group will do its best to help if it can provide support."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the directors present, and he added meaningfully, "I believe that if any of you directors have any good resources or suggestions, you would certainly be willing to help, right?"

Upon hearing the chairman's words, regardless of their true thoughts, the directors naturally nodded in agreement on the surface.

"Yes, yes, the aerospace industry is a new thing in Hong Kong, and it's the future direction of development!"

"Young Master Hu dared to be the first in the world, taking the lead in conducting space launches in Hong Kong. He was the first to try something new, which shows his courage and is truly impressive!"

"We've heard that the Hong Kong government is providing strong support for the Jiangshan Group's project and is very optimistic about it. Mr. Hu, could you elaborate on the future plans?"

After a brief pause in the chorus of praise from Hu Jiangshan and the others, he calmly continued, "Thank you all for your concern. Speaking of future plans, I have something to report to everyone. Currently, our Jiangshan Group is applying to the Hong Kong government for permission to carry out land reclamation projects near the Tenglong Island base."

"Reclaiming land from the sea?"

These four words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating huge ripples in the conference room.

All the directors, including the usually composed Hu Wenxin, showed undisguised astonishment.

Land reclamation! This is no small-scale project; it is a mega-project with an extremely large scale, an extremely complex approval process, and an extremely far-reaching impact!
Moreover, given the increasing emphasis on environmental protection in Hong Kong Island, these kinds of projects cannot be approved simply by submitting an application.

In fact, looking back at the records of the past decade, almost all of the land reclamation applications submitted in the Hong Kong Island area have been rejected.

(End of this chapter)