In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 723 The Importance Attached to the Mainland!
Hong Kong tycoons like Pao Yu-kong, while also investing in mainland China, primarily focus on donations.

The real investments are mainly in hotels, restaurants, and the like.

What the mainland truly needs is not these things; what they need more is industry to drive its development.

Foreign investment that can reach a certain scale is extremely rare; you could count it on one hand.

For example, in 1978, Cao Guangbiao, the owner of Yongxin Group, a textile tycoon in Hong Kong, became the first Hong Kong businessman to invest in the mainland after the reform and opening up. He invested in Zhucheng, next to the Pearl River, to establish the first "processing with supplied materials, processing with supplied samples, assembling with supplied parts and compensation trade" enterprise in the mainland.

In 1978, the Tang family established their first inland textile factory in Huangbeiling, near Luohu, Shenzhen. In 1979, they set up their second factory in Zhuzhou, utilizing the local high-quality wool and cashmere resources.

In 1979, another Hong Kong businessman invested five million Hong Kong dollars to establish Beijing Air Catering Co., Ltd., which became the first Sino-foreign joint venture in mainland China after the reform and opening up.

Aside from Lin Haoran's extensive investments in mainland China over the past two years, these are pretty much all the Hong Kong businessmen who have mainly invested in the mainland.

This shows that even in 1981, Hong Kong's business tycoons still held a very cautious attitude towards investing in the mainland.

Their main concern is that they might lose everything after investing.

Therefore, even if it is an investment, it is only a small investment, several million Hong Kong dollars, or tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars, which is already a very impressive investment.

Unlike Lin Haoran, who invests hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars in his companies such as Hongkong Land Group, HK Electric Group, and Wanqing Group, buying land and developing projects everywhere!

This is absolutely unbelievable to many Hong Kong business tycoons.

As night falls, the streetlights in the park and the lights shining from the factory windows create a vibrant industrial scene.

Security personnel, dressed in uniforms from Huanyu Security Company, conduct patrols periodically to ensure the safety of the industrial park.

Lin Haoran even saw CCTV footage in the factory.

He took a deep breath of the air, which smelled of the sea and the fragrance of earth, and felt a little emotional.

The 1980s in mainland China was truly a golden age full of infinite possibilities, yet also fraught with hidden challenges.

"Boss, the dinner has been arranged. It will be held in the guesthouse canteen in the park. We have specially prepared authentic Cantonese dishes and some local specialties. Several master chefs from Guangzhou will be in charge, and the ingredients will be the freshest available today." Yang Mingyi reported the arrangements in a timely manner.

Lin Haoran nodded: "Okay, let's go and try it, and let Mr. Burton and Mr. Ma Shimin experience the local atmosphere."

The guesthouse's dining hall was carefully decorated; though not luxurious, it was clean and spacious.

The dishes were served quickly: poached chicken, steamed sea fish, braised pork, seasonal vegetables, and a large pot of slow-cooked soup. The aroma was irresistible, and the dishes were full of homely warmth and comfort.

Although it wasn't anything fancy or rare, Lin Haoran was very satisfied.

The atmosphere became much more relaxed during the meal.

While having his meal, Lin Haoran inquired more detailed about the mainland business from Yang Mingyi.

"Mingyi, you've worked hard these past two years. The situation on the mainland is unique, and many things need to be figured out as you go. What was the biggest difficulty you encountered?" Lin Haoran asked with concern.

Yang Mingyi put down his chopsticks and answered seriously: "Thank you for your concern, boss. The biggest difficulty is not the hardware, but the software. On the one hand, there are differences in the systems and ways of thinking between the two places, and communication and coordination require a lot of effort."
On the other hand, there is a severe shortage of talent, especially middle-level managers who understand both technology and management, and who can comprehend our operating model. We are currently using a mentorship program, bringing in a group from Hong Kong and then selecting promising individuals from the mainland for focused training, but this takes time.

“This is an inevitable process.” Lin Haoran expressed his understanding. “Talent cultivation is a long-term plan that requires investment. We can consider establishing cooperation with some science and engineering colleges in the mainland, setting up scholarships, and training the technical talents and management trainees we need in a targeted manner.”

Looking at the long term, the future market and development potential of mainland China are beyond imagination.

Although university students in mainland China may initially have a somewhat geographically limited perspective due to environmental factors, the large population base means there are definitely many talented individuals who have simply not yet been discovered.

“The boss is right.” Yang Mingyi agreed wholeheartedly. “We have already made initial contact with vocational schools in Guangzhou, and the next step is to talk to some universities in Guangzhou.”

Putting aside other things, of the 30,000 employees of Langwei Group, a subsidiary of Hongkong Land Group, at least nearly a thousand were graduates of universities in Guangdong Province, another third were transferred from vocational schools in various parts of Guangdong Province, another third were junior high school graduates from the Pearl River Delta region, and the rest were at least previous junior high school graduates.

"Very good." Lin Haoran praised, which showed that the quality of Langwei Group's grassroots employees was very high, and they were not illiterate people who could not read a single word.

In this era, vocational school graduates are actually considered a highly educated group in mainland China.

Secondary vocational school graduates can easily find stable jobs in many fields such as agriculture and forestry, hydropower, commerce, finance, health, and teacher training, and even enjoy the generous benefit of guaranteed job placement.

Such treatment made vocational school graduates highly respected and held a high social status in that era.

After all, the college entrance examination has only been reinstated for four years.

During the ten years that the college entrance examination was suspended, university admissions were mainly based on a recommendation system, rather than selecting talent through a unified examination.

During that special period, children of cadres often had an easier time gaining valuable school admission opportunities due to their family background and power connections.

As a result, many talented individuals are buried under this unfair selection mechanism, missing out on opportunities to receive higher education, improve themselves, and contribute to society.

However, as a pioneer who dared to be the first to try something new, Lin Haoran's company was fortunate enough to recruit the first batch of undergraduate graduates after the resumption of the college entrance examination, which provided strong intellectual support for the company's development.

He then turned to Burton: "Mr. Burton, as you can see, this is a fertile land waiting to be cultivated, and the local government is strongly supporting us. Pengcheng can become the core production and R&D base for Wanqing Group's future plans to enter the precision manufacturing and industrial basic components industry."

Mr. Burton, your research team must fully consider factors such as the mainland's industrial support, talent pool, and policy guidance.

"Understood, boss. The completion of the industrial park shows that the vitality and efficiency here are amazing, and the quality and learning ability of the workforce are higher than expected."

I will assemble a team as soon as possible, including experts in technology, marketing, and finance, to conduct in-depth research, especially on the acquisition and joint venture targets you mentioned. I will prioritize companies whose technology can complement the needs and industrial chain of the mainland market.

It was late at night, and Lin Haoran ultimately chose to stay at a hotel arranged by the local government.

A small military unit was even stationed outside the hotel.

This shows that the local authorities attached great importance to the arrival of Lin Haoran and his group.

The night passed quickly.

At seven o'clock, Lin Haoran was woken up by his alarm clock on time.

Since the industrial park's opening ceremony was at 8:00 AM, he naturally couldn't sleep until he naturally woke up.

If you accidentally oversleep, that would be embarrassing.

After getting up and washing up, Lin Haoran walked to the window feeling refreshed.

The hotel is located near the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park, about two kilometers away. It is an eight-story building, which is considered a tall building in this area.

Lin Haoran lives on the 5th floor.

Shenzhen in this era is indeed full of vitality.

Outside the window, the first rays of dawn were breaking, and the outline of the industrial park in the distance was faintly visible through the thin mist.

Lin Haoran took a deep breath of the slightly cool morning air and felt invigorated.

He noticed that many early risers were already hurrying along the main road downstairs from the hotel, riding bicycles or walking, most of them dressed in work clothes, heading towards the industrial park.

Judging from their energetic faces, most of them are young people, probably between 16 and early 22 years old.

"It's so good to be young!" Lin Haoran sighed.

Little did they know, he himself was only in his early twenties.
After tidying up her clothes, she opened the door and saw Yang Mingyi standing outside.

"Boss, you're awake." Yang Mingyi's voice came from behind. He had been waiting in the corridor. "Breakfast is ready, and the convoy is downstairs waiting. The leaders from Pengcheng may arrive at the park a little earlier, so we'd better go there as soon as possible to make final preparations."

"Okay, I'll go down now." Lin Haoran nodded with a smile.

After a quick breakfast, the convoy headed towards the industrial park.

The closer you get to the industrial park, the more pedestrians and bicycles you see on the road. Many of them are workers rushing to their early shifts, their faces filled with anticipation and excitement for their new jobs.

At the park gate, colorful flags fluttered, and a red banner that read "Warmly celebrate the official commissioning of the first phase of Wanqing-Shekou Manufacturing Industrial Park" was particularly eye-catching.

Around 7:30, the park was already bustling with people.

Invited guests, media reporters, and representatives from all parties arrived one after another.

Lin Haoran immediately spotted the vehicle with the CCTV logo and the Guangdong TV station's interview vehicle.

The workers, dressed in brand-new work clothes, lined up neatly under the organization of their respective factory managers and work teams, displaying high morale.

At 7:50 a.m., the motorcade of the province and city's main leaders arrived. Lin Haoran, along with senior executives such as Yang Mingyi, Burton, and Ma Shimin, personally greeted them at the entrance. The two sides warmly shook hands and exchanged pleasantries in a lively atmosphere.

At 8:00 AM sharp, the opening ceremony officially began.

The ceremony stage was set up in the central square of the park, with a huge park planning map and the Wanqing Group logo as the backdrop. Above it were also the logos of 18 fast-moving consumer goods brands under the Langwei Group that were about to start construction.

The ceremony was presided over by a vice mayor of Pengcheng City.

First, a senior leader from the province gave a speech.

He highly praised Mr. Lam Ho-yin's vision and patriotism, calling the industrial park "a milestone in the process of reform and opening up" and "a model of win-win cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong." He also stated that the government will continue to provide the best services and policy support, and looks forward to Wan Tsing Group and Hongkong Land Group bringing more and better projects.

Following that, Lin Haoran, as the representative of the investors, took the stage to deliver a speech.

"Distinguished leaders, honored guests, colleagues, and friends from the media: Good morning!"

"Today, we gather here to witness the official commissioning of the first phase of the Wanqing-Shekou Manufacturing Industrial Park. At this moment, I am incredibly excited!"

"Although I am a Hong Konger, I constantly remind myself that I am also a Chinese. My roots and my blood come from this great land. Seeing the mainland promote reform and opening up, I am extremely excited. I know that this is a great opportunity for national rejuvenation and also the common responsibility of all Chinese people."

Lin Haoran's voice, clear and powerful, resounded across the square through the microphone: "Many people ask me why I dare to invest such a huge amount of money in the mainland? My answer is simple: because I believe in the future here, I believe in the people here, and I believe even more in the government's firm determination to promote reform and opening up!"

We bring not only capital and equipment, but also advanced technology, management experience, and access to international markets. Our goal is to help "Made in China" products go global, revitalize the mainland economy, and let the world see the quality and strength of China!

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and the workers' eyes shone with pride.

They already knew that this boss was the richest boss in all of Hong Kong.

Following him will definitely lead to a bright future!
Therefore, when the selection process was underway, everyone was eager to sign up, and those who passed the selection all had their own special skills.

“This industrial park is just the beginning,” Lin Haoran continued. “We have already planned the second and third phases of the project, and there are even more industrial parks under construction in Pengcheng, Dongguan, Yangcheng, Zhucheng, Chancheng and other places.”

In the future, we will introduce more high-tech industries. At the same time, we will establish a special education fund to cooperate with mainland universities in training professional and technical personnel, enabling our young people to learn world-class manufacturing technologies without leaving the country!

The applause surged again like a tidal wave, lasting for a long time.

CCTV cameras keenly captured close-ups of the workers' excited and proud expressions, as well as the leaders' approving nods.

Lin Haoran's speech, full of patriotism and pragmatic foresight, was broadcast on CCTV, and for the first time, the image of this young Hong Kong business tycoon was clearly conveyed to thousands of households.

"Here, I would also like to make a special announcement," Lin Haoran paused briefly, and after the applause subsided, he dropped a bombshell, "that my company, Hongkong Land Group, will take the lead in donating HK$100 million to establish the 'Hongkong Land Education Fund,' which will be dedicated to supporting outstanding students from underprivileged backgrounds in mainland universities to study science and engineering majors, and to jointly train them with the company, so as to cultivate future engineers and scientists for the country's industrialization process!"

As soon as these words came out, the whole place was shocked!

HK$100 million!
In an era when even households with 10,000 yuan were extremely rare, this was undoubtedly an astronomical figure, a weighty and incredibly impactful promise.

This not only demonstrates Lin Haoran's substantial financial resources, but also highlights his far-sighted vision of investing in the future and cultivating talent.

The provincial leaders excitedly took the lead in standing up and applauding, and everyone in the audience spontaneously stood up, with applause and exclamations of praise blending together.

The CCTV reporter quickly gave this shocking announcement a close-up shot, which is definitely going to be a major highlight for tonight's news broadcast.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place in an extremely warm and solemn atmosphere.

The moment Lin Haoran and the other leaders cut the red ribbon together, cannons roared, colorful ribbons fluttered, and the entire park erupted in cheers.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Lin Haoran and many other leaders sat on the best viewing platform to witness the historic moment when the production line was officially launched.

As Lin Haoran and provincial leaders jointly pressed the symbolic start button, the machines in the eighteen factories in the park roared to life at the same time!

The tremendous roar was like a clarion call of the times, announcing the beginning of a brand new era of manufacturing.

The production line began to run, the robotic arms operated with precision, and the workers took their positions, fully focused on production.

CCTV and Guangdong TV quickly captured this exciting scene, broadcasting the modern production process live across the country.

At this moment, the leaders present were extremely excited.

Although the reform and opening-up policy has been announced for some time, the actual progress has been very limited.

The reason is simple: attracting investment is difficult!

They invited many well-known Chinese businessmen, but Lin Haoran is the only one with such courage, determination and drive, without exception!

Other prominent Chinese business leaders, while also invited to visit the mainland, mostly just take a cursory look around, make symbolic donations, or invest in low-risk, high-return projects such as hotels and restaurants.

Lin Haoran is truly one of a kind, daring to invest real money in real industries and manufacturing, and on such a large scale with such firm determination!
"We must provide excellent service and make Mr. Lin's company a benchmark enterprise, so that other foreign investors can see that investing in our inland areas, in our Guangdong Province, and in our Pengcheng is a wise and profitable choice with a bright future!" The provincial leader said earnestly to the leaders of Pengcheng.

"Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to provide Mr. Lin's company with the best service, the most comprehensive support, and the strongest guarantees!" The leaders of Pengcheng immediately stated firmly, "We will establish a 'Project Service Team' personally led by me to respond to the company's needs 24 hours a day, ensure the smooth operation of the park, and launch the second and third phases of the project as soon as possible!"

On the stage, a lion dance performance with distinctive Lingnan characteristics began. Amidst the deafening sound of gongs and drums, the agile "lion" leaped and bounded on high poles, performing various difficult moves. Finally, it uttered a couplet with red background and gold characters: "Guangdong and Hong Kong join hands to create a great cause, and reform and opening up write a new chapter," drawing cheers from the audience.

These performances were actually arranged by the Pengcheng side.

After the lion dance troupe left the stage, a dancer dressed in traditional ethnic dance costume was seen dancing gracefully in the center of the stage. Her figure was soft and her dance was beautiful. She was Liu Xiaoli, who was famous for her dance and was known as "Fairy Mom".

Her performance of the dance "Picking Ferns" perfectly combined the charm of classical dance with modern stage art. Her flowing robes and graceful movements instantly captivated the audience.

Lin Haoran raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised to see her here.

In my memory, this future "celestial mother" should still be working as a dancer at the opera house in Jiangcheng. I didn't expect that Pengcheng would specially invite a professional dance troupe from the mainland to perform for this ceremony.

Liu Xiaoli's dance skills were indeed solid. Every smile, gesture, and movement was highly professional and artistically captivating, quite different from the image she later presented to the public.

At only 22 years old, Liu Xiaoli is stunningly beautiful, no less so than a future celestial being. In fact, Lin Haoran thinks she is even more beautiful than a celestial being at this moment.

"No wonder she gave birth to a celestial being; her genes are truly outstanding," Lin Haoran thought to himself in admiration.

On stage, Liu Xiaoli is in the prime of her youth, with skin as white as snow and eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting. Her expression while dancing is focused and lively, with both the innocence of a young girl and the charm of a mature woman. She is indeed beautiful enough to turn heads.

At this moment, she is more like a pure artist, completely immersed in the performance.

After the dance "Picking Ferns" ended, thunderous applause erupted, more enthusiastic than ever before.

Many of the officials and guests present whispered among themselves, asking who the lead dancer was, clearly amazed by her appearance and dancing skills.

As Liu Xiaoli and her dance partners took their bows, their gazes inadvertently swept over the main audience seats once again.

When she saw Lin Haoran smiling and clapping, a blush crept onto her face. She quickly lowered her head and followed the group off the stage.

"I didn't expect Shenzhen to have prepared such a wonderful program." The provincial leader said to Lin Haoran with a smile, "This lady dances very well, she's very professional."

Lin Haoran nodded in agreement: "He did jump very well. You can tell he has received professional training. Pengcheng has put in a lot of effort."

This was just a brief interlude in the ceremony, and Lin Haoran's attention quickly returned to the main business.

On stage, after the stunning performance of "Picking Ferns," the subsequent programs, while still excellent, were clearly no longer as captivating.

After the performance, the tour begins.

Lin Haoran personally led the leaders into the nearest beverage production workshop.

And this is the famous Red Bull production workshop.

Unlike in later generations, Red Bull was not as famous in this era.

However, since being acquired by Dairy Farm International, and especially after being integrated into the Longway Group, Red Bull has quickly opened up the international market through 711-Eleven and Lawson convenience stores.

Moreover, due to Red Bull's ability to refresh the mind and replenish energy, it is especially popular among workers who need to work overtime, long-distance drivers, and students, and its sales have been rising steadily.

The existing production capacity in Thailand was clearly far from sufficient.

Therefore, this new factory in Pengcheng happens to be the largest and most advanced Red Bull production base that Langwei Group is setting up, shouldering the important responsibility of supplying the entire Hong Kong and Macau and even exporting to Japan, South Korea, Europe and the United States.

In the future, production capacity will continue to increase, and the number of factories will continue to expand. In the future, Red Bull's production base may even occupy an industrial park, but all of this will take time.

Before other industrial parks were built, the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park temporarily became Langwei Group's largest production base in mainland China.

(End of this chapter)