In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 725 Appearance on CCTV, Fame Spreads Across Mainland China!
The elevator arrived at the first floor, and the doors slowly opened.

Lin Haoran stepped out, and Li Weidong and Li Weiguo immediately followed closely behind.

Ten bodyguards followed closely behind.

Outside the hotel, a convoy of three bulletproof black Mercedes-Benz vehicles had been waiting for some time.

These vehicles were all transported from Hong Kong.

In mainland China, under normal circumstances, there would be no problems. In addition to his own bodyguards, he was even given a small unit of protection.

But for Lin Haoran, it's best to be cautious. Rather than entrusting his safety to others, he should take it into his own hands.

Although security personnel were arranged in mainland China, Lin Haoran always firmly believed in the principle of "safety first".

He remembered that many business tycoons in his previous life had met with misfortune due to security negligence, and he was determined not to repeat that mistake.

Moreover, as his business empire expands, it inevitably infringes on the interests of some people.

These bulletproof Mercedes and elite bodyguards serve not only as a guarantee of their own safety but also as a demonstration of strength to their partners.

"To the municipal government," Lin Haoran instructed briefly, then got into the car.

A police car led the way, followed by several military vehicles.

Such treatment is enough to show how much the mainland government values ​​him.

The convoy slowly drove out of the hotel. Lin Haoran leaned back in the comfortable leather seat and closed his eyes to rest.

In the afternoon, he will meet with provincial leaders and the Pengcheng Municipal Government to discuss specific cooperation matters regarding expanding investment in manufacturing and infrastructure projects, which will be related to his strategic layout in the mainland in the coming years.

In addition, provincial leaders also hoped that Lin Haoran could offer some suggestions and advice on the reform and opening up.

After all, although the reform and opening up was mainly carried out in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, as the forefront of reform and opening up, also shoulders the important responsibility of exploration and demonstration.

Provincial leaders knew that Lin Haoran, as a successful Hong Kong businessman, had both an international perspective and an understanding of the situation in the mainland, and that his suggestions would be of great reference value.

No one will underestimate Lin Haoran because of his young age.

After all, although the mainland may seem closed off, its leaders have a very open international perspective.

The mainland leaders have already thoroughly investigated how Lin Haoran rose to prominence.

First, they used the Wharf Holdings acquisition strategy to obtain their first pot of gold.

Afterwards, through repeated business battles and forward-looking investments, he finally amassed his current immense wealth.

In short, Lin Haoran's short but successful business career, spanning several years and numerous investments and business battles, was never a failure.

Such a business genius's every decision is worth studying and learning from.

The leaders in mainland China understand that what reform and opening up requires is this spirit of daring to explore and experiment, while also accurately grasping the pulse of the market.

Lin Haoran, of course, did not mind sharing some of his ideas with the mainland government.

After all, the better the mainland develops, the greater his return on investment will be, which is a win-win situation.

As a "future person" who traveled from the 2020s, even though he was not an economic tycoon in his previous life, he has knowledge that is decades ahead of this era. He has the successful experience and lessons of China's reform and opening up over the past decades in his mind.

These precious "future memories" are his greatest advantage.

Of course, the essence of reform is to "cross the river by feeling the stones." As the first practice in human history to combine socialism with a market economy, there is no ready-made experience to draw on, and the emergence of temporary problems is inevitable in the exploration process.

However, if the reform and opening up can avoid more detours and fewer mistakes, allowing the mainland to develop more smoothly, it will bring huge benefits to both the nation and his personal business strategy.

Lin Haoran leaned back in his chair, already sketching out an optimized roadmap for reform and opening up in his mind.

He clearly remembers which policies were most effective in his previous life, which detours could be avoided, and which opportunities could best drive economic development.

For example, he knows which infrastructure should be prioritized for development, which industries have the greatest potential, and which regions are most suitable for key development.

He also knows how to better attract foreign investment, how to cultivate local talent, and how to avoid some wrong development paths—all of which are successful experiences that have stood the test of time.

As the vehicle drove along the main road of Shenzhen, although the road was not very smooth, many newly built factories and construction sites could already be seen on both sides.

Many of these businesses belong to several groups under Lin Haoran's control.

Looking out the window, Lin Haoran already had a complete proposal in mind.

He plans to put forward several key suggestions: First, to build an efficient service-oriented government and establish a "one-stop" foreign investment service center;
Secondly, key advantageous industries include electronic information and light manufacturing;

It is also recommended to vigorously develop vocational education to cultivate professional and technical personnel for the manufacturing industry.

The production of fast-moving consumer goods brands under the Langwei Group falls under the category of light industry manufacturing.

In addition, he is prepared to propose a groundbreaking suggestion: to try the paid transfer and assignment of land use rights.

This idea is quite ahead of its time, but it is key to attracting foreign investment in infrastructure construction.

He remembered that in his previous life, it wasn't until 1987 that Shenzhen held its first land auction, after which the city's development accelerated significantly.

In this lifetime, perhaps this reform can be initiated earlier.

Inside the hotel restaurant, Liu Xiaoli remained standing, her fingers gently stroking the business card in her pocket, as if she could still feel the warmth left by Lin Haoran.

Her companions curiously gathered around, asking all sorts of questions about the conversation they had just had.

The dancers who came with her from the Jiangcheng Song and Dance Theater all had a look of curiosity and envy in their eyes.

They had all witnessed Liu Xiaoli's private conversation with that legendary young Hong Kong businessman.

Such a person is someone they can never reach.

"Xiaoli, what did Mr. Lin say to you? Was he very serious?" a girl with a ponytail asked impatiently.

“Yeah, yeah, I heard he’s worth tens of billions! Isn’t he incredibly impressive?” Another short-haired girl chimed in.

Liu Xiaoli simply smiled and said casually, "I just mustered up the courage to ask Mr. Lin some questions about art."

She remembered Lin Haoran's instructions: this matter must be kept secret.

But she knew in her heart that from this day forward, her life would take a completely different turn.

Perhaps five years later, perhaps ten years later, she will shine on the stage of Hong Kong, and all of this stems from her brief encounter with that man this autumn afternoon.

Outside the window, the roar of construction in Shenzhen is incessant, just like the relentless march of this era.

And everyone's fate is quietly changing in the torrent of this era.

Before we knew it, it was evening.

As the sunset painted the sky over Shenzhen, tens of millions, even hundreds of millions, of people across the mainland gathered around their black-and-white or color television sets to watch the evening news broadcast at 7 p.m.

In those days, although televisions were still a luxury and not many people could afford them, there were about ten million televisions in use throughout mainland China. And a single television set would usually attract a large number of people to watch it.

Therefore, the number of hundreds of millions of viewers is not an exaggeration.

Shortly after the program began, the host announced in a solemn yet warm voice: "The following is a special report from our station: A documentary on Mr. Lin Haoran, a patriotic businessman from Hong Kong, who contributed to the reform and opening up of the mainland."

On the television screen, the scene switched to the grand opening ceremony of the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park.

Colorful flags fluttered and drums resounded. A huge red inflatable archway bore the golden words "Warmly celebrate the grand opening of Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park".

The camera pans across the neat, modern factory buildings, towering chimneys, and fully automated production lines.

The workers, dressed in uniform overalls, stood spiritedly in front of the brand-new factory building.

"This is the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park, invested and built by Mr. Lin Haoran, a patriotic businessman from Hong Kong. The project has a total investment of over HK$500 million and is one of the largest foreign investment projects in mainland China to date."

The park integrates R&D, production, and logistics, and is expected to create nearly 100,000 jobs in the future. The host's voice was full of passion.

The video shows Lin Haoran cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony. He is smiling, holding a pair of golden scissors, and standing side by side with provincial and municipal leaders.

This is Lin Haoran's first appearance on CCTV.

Previously, although he had visited the mainland, he had never been interviewed by a mainland television station.

The camera then cuts to a segment of his speech: "The Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park will introduce the most advanced international production technologies and management experience to create a globally competitive manufacturing base."

We must not only generate economic benefits, but also cultivate local talent, drive the development of the industrial chain, and contribute to the reform and opening up of the mainland.

The report detailed the park's planning: covering an area of ​​one million square meters, it is mainly a production base for light industry, especially fast-moving consumer goods.

The park particularly emphasized its "front shop, back factory" model, which means that by setting up factories in Shekou and taking advantage of its geographical proximity to Hong Kong, products can be directly exported overseas.

The news report also highlighted the supporting facilities in the industrial park, such as staff dormitories, canteens, and medical clinics, praising it as "a model of a people-oriented modern industrial park."

Viewers in every household watched intently in front of their television sets.

Soon, the television screen showed Lin Haoran accompanying leaders on an inspection tour of the Red Bull factory, followed by scenes of him meeting with provincial and municipal leaders.

In the photos, Lin Haoran is impeccably dressed in a suit, exuding elegance and a maturity and wisdom beyond his years. This is a completely different temperament and style from that of young people in mainland China.

His fluent Mandarin was occasionally punctuated by a Hong Kong accent, and his every gesture exuded the demeanor of an international business elite.

"As a patriotic Hong Kong businessman, Mr. Lin Haoran actively responded to the country's reform and opening-up policy, and took the lead in investing and building factories in the mainland, bringing advanced production technology and management experience."

The Red Bull beverage production base he invested in and built introduced a fully automated production line from Germany, which can produce 8400 cans of beverage per hour, creating a large number of jobs. The products will be exported overseas, generating foreign exchange for the country.

And this massive factory, like the Red Bull beverage production base, is just one of his investment projects. Today, 18 projects like the Red Bull beverage plant are in operation simultaneously. The host explained in detail.

The scene shifts to a clip of Lin Haoran speaking at a symposium, where he is saying, "I believe that reform and opening up should not only introduce capital and technology, but also advanced concepts and standards."

What we aim to build is a modern enterprise with international competitiveness.

The older generation exclaimed with deep emotion: "With such a huge investment and such advanced factory buildings, our country is finally going to have its own modern factories!"

The news report specifically mentioned Lin Haoran's suggestions on infrastructure construction and his commitment to participate in investment.

The report also highlighted his suggestions on "one-stop service" and the development of vocational education, praising these suggestions as "highly forward-looking and practical."

What's most shocking is that Lin Haoran announced on the spot that his Hongkong Land Group would donate HK$100 million to establish the "Hongkong Land Education Fund," which would be used specifically to support 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!

One hundred million Hong Kong dollars! In an era when monthly wages are only a few dozen RMB, it's hard for audiences to imagine just how enormous a sum of one hundred million Hong Kong dollars truly is.

Viewers in front of their televisions gasped in astonishment, many even subconsciously counting the value of the money on their fingers.

"My God, one hundred million Hong Kong dollars! How much money is that?" an old worker exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"One hundred million Hong Kong dollars? Our factory's annual output value is only a few hundred thousand RMB. This is already the largest factory in the county. One hundred million Hong Kong dollars is enough for our factory to work for many years!"

In the university dormitories, the college students were even more excited.

"This fund specifically supports STEM students, so wouldn't that give us an opportunity?"

"That's great! I'm worried about my tuition next semester. I hope I can get this grant."

"Mr. Lin is truly visionary; he knows what kind of talent the country needs most for its development."

The news report continued: "It is understood that the 'Landsea Education Fund' will be open to universities nationwide. Specific award criteria have not yet been announced; however, our reporter has learned in advance that the fund will also establish a special scholarship to support outstanding students in pursuing further studies overseas."

The screen then switches to a detailed introduction of the fund management: it will be jointly managed by the Ministry of Education and the Land Group to ensure the transparency and efficiency of fund use. After graduation, the award-winning students will also have priority opportunities to work in Mr. Lin's companies, achieving a seamless connection between "training and employment".

This news has generated a huge response across the country.

The general public was shocked by this huge donation, and the education sector was particularly excited.

Many university officials began working that very evening to figure out how to secure grants, while impoverished students saw hope for continuing their studies.

However, some young people who have already graduated have different ideas.

Although many of them have their own public institutions, their monthly salary of a few dozen yuan makes them feel that they are struggling to make ends meet.

Seeing the modern factories and generous benefits offered by Lin Haoran's companies in the news, many people were tempted to try their luck.

“I have a relative who has become an employee here. I heard that in the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park, an ordinary worker can earn more than 100 yuan a month. If you work overtime, you can earn even more!” a young worker said to his companion.

"Really? That's much better than working in a state-owned enterprise!" his companion asked in surprise.

"Absolutely! And I heard there are dormitories and a canteen, the conditions are very good."

Don't be fooled by the fact that the monthly salary is just over a hundred yuan. At first glance, the amount may seem small and could easily lead people to misunderstand that Lin Haoran is deliberately exploiting his mainland employees.

But that's not the case at all.

In that particular era, the overall wage level in mainland China was already in a relatively low range.

If Lin Haoran's company significantly raises wages upon its arrival in the mainland, it may seem to benefit employees, but in reality, it could disrupt market balance and hinder other foreign companies from investing in the mainland.

After all, excessively high wage standards will deter other foreign-invested enterprises and are not conducive to the formation of an open and diversified investment environment.

Moreover, from a policy perspective, the mainland government will not advocate setting wages too high. Instead, it hopes to ensure employees' basic living standards while gradually promoting steady economic development and a virtuous cycle in the market.

Wage increases are acceptable, but they shouldn't be too large at once. Instead, they should be implemented gradually, taking into account market principles, corporate performance, and the overall economic situation in mainland China, and steadily increasing wages.

For example, every so often, employees can receive a raise based on their work performance, skill improvement, and the company's profitability.

Every six months or a year, increase the basic salary of long-term employees, etc.

This prudent approach not only makes employees feel that their efforts are rewarded, thus increasing their work enthusiasm, but also avoids the impact of excessive wage fluctuations on the company's operations and the market environment.

These factories set their wages based on those of nearby factories.

For example, Shangwu Hot Coil Factory, the first "processing trade" enterprise in Shenzhen, was established three years ago.

According to Jiang Huiqun, who once worked as a quality inspector at the factory, he could earn 70 or 80 cents a day and 20 or 30 yuan a month, which was a significant increase compared to his previous income from farming based on work points.

Another employee of the factory, Zhao Dairong, said that she used to earn 400 to 500 yuan a year, with an average monthly salary of about 30 to 40 yuan.

Another well-known toy factory, Keda Toy Factory, will not be established until next year if things go according to plan. It was one of the earliest Hong Kong-owned enterprises in Lin Haoran's previous life.

Lin Haoran had read the relevant reports. Some employees recalled that Keda Toy Factory employees could receive RMB 80 plus HKD 200 in overtime and overproduction bonuses in their first month.

In addition, according to records, the initial basic daily wage for team leaders was HK$3.5, and foremen's wages were HK$5.6. Overtime pay was paid in Hong Kong dollars at a rate of 1.5 times the normal rate for night shifts and 2 times the normal rate for weekend shifts.

In those days, 100 Hong Kong dollars could be exchanged for approximately 30 RMB.

In other words, the female workers at Keda Toy Factory could earn more than 100 RMB a month by working overtime, which was an astronomical figure at that time.

The salary and benefits offered by Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park, under Lin Haoran's control, were also carefully considered.

Ordinary workers earn a monthly salary of over 80 yuan, skilled workers over 100 yuan, and middle-level managers over 200 yuan. These are basic wages and do not include overtime pay.

Including overtime pay, performance bonuses, and full attendance bonuses, ordinary workers can earn more than 200 yuan a month.

This salary level is higher than that of mainland enterprises, but it will not excessively increase labor costs, which is conducive to attracting continuous foreign investment.

"If you calculate it this way, you can save more money in a year working in the special economic zone than you could in several years back home!" a young man excitedly calculated.

"That's right! I heard there are also bonuses and overtime pay. If you do well, you might earn more than two hundred yuan a month, which is more than I would earn in six months at my current factory!"

"Why don't we go to Shenzhen and take a look? We're young anyway, there's no harm in trying something new."

This trend of "venturing south" is quietly emerging across the country.

Many young people, dissatisfied with the status quo, were attracted by the modern factories and generous benefits shown on television and began to consider developing their careers in the special economic zone.

Meanwhile, in some state-owned factory workers, the veteran workers were also discussing: "I heard that they are recruiting skilled workers over there, and they require knowledge of machine operation. I have worked in maintenance in the factory before, so I should meet the requirements."

"If we can really get there, with our skills, we can definitely earn high wages."

Some bolder young people have already taken action: "I have a cousin in Shenzhen who said there will be more and more factories there, with plenty of opportunities, and they are short of manpower. I need to ask him to find a way to try his luck there!"

"Let's go together then, so we can look out for each other."

……

This ten-minute feature report made Lin Haoran, Zhidi Group, Wanqing Group, and Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park household names overnight.

More importantly, it demonstrated the achievements and prospects of reform and opening up to the people of the whole country, and enhanced people's confidence in the future.

Lin Haoran, with his outstanding business achievements and patriotism, has become a shining idol in the hearts of millions of young people in mainland China, inspiring them to bravely pursue their dreams and join the tide of the times.

Inside his hotel room, Lin Haoran watched the news report on television with a satisfied smile on his face.

Clearly, the mainland intends to mold him into a benchmark and role model for reform and opening up.

This ten-minute feature report not only affirmed his investment contributions but also sent a clear signal to the outside world: the country welcomes and supports patriotic overseas Chinese businessmen to participate in the development of the mainland.

It's important to know that the current CCTV Evening News broadcast is no longer half an hour, but only twenty minutes long.

The fact that a full ten minutes were dedicated to reporting on him demonstrates the importance the mainland government attaches to Lin Haoran and his investments.

This is equivalent to dedicating half of prime time to publicizing his deeds and contributions, an honor that was extremely rare in the early days of reform and opening up.

He knew that this news was not only publicity for the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park, but also an affirmation and support from the country for him, a patriotic Hong Kong businessman.

This will open more doors and create more opportunities for his development in mainland China.

Two kilometers away from the window, the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park was brightly lit under the night sky, with the roar of machines filling the air, as if telling the most exciting story of this era.

This industrial park, which officially began operating today, has already started operating on a two-shift system.

711-Eleven and Lawson are opening new stores almost every day, ensuring that the fast-moving consumer goods of the brands under the Langwei Group are not only easy to sell, but are even in short supply!

Therefore, the Wanqing-Shekou Industrial Park has been operating at full capacity since the first day of construction.

The production line operates 24 hours a day, with workers taking turns to work. Trucks line up in long queues inside and outside the park, waiting to transport freshly made products to Shekou Port and then to all parts of the world.

(End of this chapter)