In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 730 A Grand Conspiracy Targeting Hutchison Whampoa!

Soon, everyone in the conference room left, leaving only Li Jiacheng sitting blankly in the main seat.

Looking at the empty conference room, he felt quite conflicted.

If he were given another three years, no, even just two, he could completely digest Hutchison Whampoa, reduce its debt, and thus make a full recovery.

Even with the help of Huafeng Bank, the cost of acquiring Hutchison Whampoa cannot be compensated for in a short time.

Behind the incredible feat of a snake swallowing an elephant lies a long period of painful digestion, lasting several years.

Just like Bao Yugang, the same is true.

In the past, the Bao family paid a heavy price to gain control of Wharf Holdings.

Two years have passed, and Bao Yugang has still not recovered. He is still carefully integrating resources and repaying his debts.

It's worth noting that Pao Yu-kong was a long-time Hong Kong's richest Chinese man. If it weren't for Lin Hao-ran's appearance, the title of richest man would still belong to Pao Yu-kong.

If Bao Yugang is like this, then Li Jiacheng is even more so.

Li Ka-shing has only been in control of Hutchison Whampoa for less than a year, and it will take him at least several years to recover.

His original plan was to use Cheung Kong Holdings' cash flow and Hutchison Whampoa's land reserves to quickly recover funds through real estate development projects, gradually repay debts, and revitalize Hutchison Whampoa's other businesses.

In another world, that's what he did.

After acquiring Hutchison Whampoa, the company strengthened its control over the company while simultaneously recovering its strength.

In 1984, Li Ka-shing, who was gradually recovering, began to develop the Whampoa Shipyard, planning to build 94 residential buildings and a large shopping mall on the site of the former Whampoa Shipyard.

By 1989, Whampoa Garden, which had been developed on the site of the former Whampoa Shipyard for several years, had generated a total revenue of HK$92 billion and a net profit of HK$52 billion.

In addition, the company also owns a 169 million square foot shopping mall in Whampoa Garden for rental purposes, generating a stable rental income every month.

It can be said that Li Jiacheng made a fortune by relying on the Huangpu Shipyard.

However, the world has been completely changed because of Lin Haoran's appearance.

People are not as good as the sky.

Who could have predicted that Lin Haoran's appearance would hasten the decline of Hong Kong's real estate market?
Who could have predicted that Lin Haoran, an unpredictable opponent, would suddenly appear, giving him no chance to breathe and striking directly at his vital points?
"Two years... even if it's just one year..." Li Jiacheng murmured to himself, his voice filled with endless regret and bitterness.

Given enough time to successfully develop one or two large-scale real estate projects, his cash flow will recover, giving him the confidence to face any challenge.

However, the business world is like a battlefield; how can your enemy give you time to rest and recuperate?

From the moment he offended Lin Haoran, he was destined to never be able to develop his career in a low-key and underhanded manner like Bao Yugang.

Lin Haoran's attack was timed perfectly and decisively!
It struck precisely at the most critical juncture when his old strength had been exhausted and his new strength had not yet emerged.

He is now facing an unsolvable dead end:

Continuing the price war will result in huge daily losses and a rapidly depleting cash flow, potentially leading to collapse before the debts mature.

Stopping the price war and immediately exposing Hutchison Whampoa and its founders' weakness to the market would lead to a collapse in confidence, banks pressing for repayment, and a stock price crash, potentially resulting in an even faster demise.

Selling assets to save yourself is a risky business, especially when the seller knows you desperately need the money. You won't get a good price for it, which is like sacrificing your own flesh to feed a tiger, and it's a case of too little, too late.

No matter which path you choose, they all seem to lead to the abyss.

Li Jiacheng leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and felt an unprecedented sense of exhaustion and loneliness.

This predicament, where every step is fraught with difficulty and one is caught in a dilemma, is a hundred times more challenging than when he started his business from scratch.

At least back then, he was unburdened and fearless.

Now, burdened with enormous assets and the expectations of countless people, he walks on thin ice with every step he takes.

For the first time, Li Jiacheng began to regret why he had offended Lin Haoran so badly.

Unfortunately, there's no going back in life.
However, Li Jiacheng is not the kind of person who sits and waits to die.

After all, they control two super companies that are among the top ten in market capitalization, with a combined market value of over HK$10 billion. Even if they are currently facing financial difficulties, mobilizing more than HK$300 million is not a difficult task.

However, while the short-term funding problem is easy to solve, the subsequent chain reaction is what he is most worried about.

Mobilizing funds to repay debts is only a temporary solution. If the huge bleeding point of ParknShop supermarkets cannot be stopped immediately, and if market confidence cannot be restored, then the result of robbing Peter to pay Paul will only be that the hole gets bigger and bigger, eventually leading to a complete collapse.

But now, he has no other choice but to take things one step at a time.

……

While Li Jiacheng was troubled by the company's cash flow, Lin Haoran was living a very comfortable life.

Guo Xiaohan has resigned from the Guo family business and will no longer hold any position in the Guo family business.

After all, once she married Lin Haoran, she became a member of the Lin family, and it would be somewhat inappropriate for her to continue staying with the Guo family.

The Lin Haoran Charity Foundation has been officially registered and established, and has quickly assembled a professional team to steadily advance its various tasks.

Guo Xiaohan directly assumed the position of Chairman of the Lin Haoran Charity Foundation.

Of course, for the first year or two, she focused more on learning. This position was a temporary post, but she also had supervisory authority.

On the day the foundation was established, Lin Haoran directly instructed the finance department to deposit HK$200 million into the foundation's account—a real HK$200 million in cash!
One hundred million Hong Kong dollars of it was a donation previously pledged to Pengcheng University.

The remaining HK$100 million will be used to build Hope Schools in mainland China. In addition, donations are needed for education in Hong Kong.

No matter what, his base of operations is in Hong Kong. If he doesn't even care about Hong Kong, he will inevitably be criticized.

The foundation's headquarters are located on the 37th floor of the Kang Le Building, serving as the foundation's temporary office space.

In the future, once the world's tallest building nearby is completed and put into use, the foundation's headquarters will be moved there.

At this moment, Lin Haoran was sitting in his spacious and bright personal office on the 51st floor, while Guo Xiaohan was talking about his plans for the charity foundation.

Of course, these plans were actually developed in consultation with the company team.

Although Guo Xiaohan has been studying business management with her uncle Guo Henian for a long time, she is fully capable of independently managing a medium-sized enterprise.

However, when it comes to charity, Guo Xiaohan is still a complete novice.

The sunlight streaming in through the window fell on her focused profile, making her look exceptionally beautiful.

“Our initial plan is that the ‘Firefly Project’ will mainly target students from impoverished families in Hong Kong, providing them with scholarships, extracurricular tutoring, and nutritious lunches; while the ‘Dawn Project’ will target impoverished mountainous areas in mainland China, helping to build Hope Primary Schools and improve teaching facilities…” Guo Xiaohan, dressed in professional attire, spoke with confidence and competence.

She continued, "In addition to education, the New Territories, Tuen Mun, and outlying islands in Hong Kong are hit by typhoons every year, causing serious damage to villagers' houses and other property. These are also important areas for our donations."

Lin Haoran looked at her appreciatively and nodded approvingly: "The plan is very thorough. Remember our principle: to provide help when it's in need, not to add to what's already good. We must help those who truly need help, and every penny must be spent wisely."

"Brother Haoran, what you said is so true. It's about providing help in times of need, not just adding to someone's existing success!" Guo Xiaohan looked at Lin Haoran with admiration.

Since the engagement party, Guo Xiaohan has completely immersed herself in the role of Mrs. Lin.

Although they haven't officially registered their marriage, their relationship is already common knowledge in Hong Kong's high society.

Although it wasn't actively publicized, the engagement banquet was held at the Peninsula Hotel, so it wasn't difficult for people in high society to find out about it.

The Lin family was already powerful, and now, with their marriage alliance with the Guo family, the richest family in Southeast Asia, their strength has only increased.

As a result, the upper class was even less likely to provoke Lin Haoran.

“Since we’ve promised the Pengcheng government, let’s donate this HK$100 million as soon as possible. Let’s find some time to go to Pengcheng again and hand over the money there!” Lin Haoran said with a smile.

With the wingboat, traveling to and from Shenzhen is indeed convenient; it only takes an hour.

He wasn't really interested in taking a car on mountain roads for two or three hours every time.

"Great! Haoran, I've never been to the mainland before. I really want to see the scenery there. My grandfather's generation moved from the mainland to Southeast Asia!" Guo Xiaohan was clearly excited when she said this.

“Well, since that’s the case, then it’s decided. It’s September 14th now, let’s go to Shenzhen again in a couple of days. As the chairman of the charity foundation, you’ll definitely be going to the mainland quite often in the future!” Lin Haoran thought for a moment and said.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

"Please come in."

The one who came in was Ma Shimin.

He looked at Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan in the office and smiled, "Boss, Boss's wife, did I disturb you?"

Hearing the title "boss lady," Guo Xiaohan was clearly very happy, and a smile appeared on her face.

"No, Mr. Ma, please sit down. Just report whatever you need to do. There's no need to hold back," Lin Haoran said, shaking his head, knowing that Ma Shimin was joking. Guo Xiaohan, who was standing next to him, was even happier to hear Lin Haoran's words. This meant that Lin Haoran had truly come to regard her as one of his own, and he wouldn't hide anything from her, even important company matters.

Nevertheless, Guo Xiaohan still stood up and said, "You guys chat, I still have some work to finish, so I'll go down to the office first."

Having grown up in a wealthy family, Guo Xiaohan is well aware that after marriage, she should not get too involved in her husband's family business, but should stay at home to take care of her husband and raise her children.

Lin Haoran's decision to let her take charge of the family's charitable business in the future had already made her very happy. She had originally prepared herself not to participate in any business operations after getting married.

Watching Guo Xiaohan's elegant departure, Ma Shimin couldn't help but exclaim, "Boss, you are truly blessed. Miss Guo not only comes from a distinguished family, but is also so sensible and understanding."

Lin Haoran smiled slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes: "Xiaohan is indeed rare. Alright, let's get down to business. Any new developments?"

As a time traveler, Lin Haoran was originally very averse to so-called business marriages.

But Guo Xiaohan really satisfied him.

His relationship with Guo Xiaohan is based on affection, which is different from other business marriages.

Many arranged marriages are not based on any affection at all, but purely on the interests of both families.

Such marriages are often accompanied by a great deal of helplessness and compromise.

However, the union of Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan was based on mutual appreciation and affection, which is rare in marriages between wealthy families.

Seeing that Lin Haoran was in a good mood, Ma Shimin cut straight to the point: "I just received news that Li Jiacheng is in contact with several international financial groups, trying to obtain short-term financing through asset collateral. This is the list of institutions he has recently contacted, but we do not know the specific amount of financing."

After the other party finished speaking, they handed over a document.

Lin Haoran took the document and glanced at it, a smile appearing on his lips: "Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS, he certainly knows how to find them, but these international investment banks are all ruthless and greedy, their terms probably won't be much better than Standard Chartered Bank's."

"Boss, Li Jiacheng has no choice. If their cash flow really runs into trouble, given Standard Chartered Bank's current situation, it's impossible for them to lend them too much money. He can only look for opportunities outside."

Based on Li Ka-shing's actions, we judge that Hutchison Whampoa is likely nearing its end; it seems they are merely putting up a fight in this supermarket price war!

"They couldn't even last half a month? It seems their internal situation is much more difficult than we imagined," Lin Haoran said with interest.

"Mr. Li Ka-shing must have paid a considerable price by increasing his stake in Hutchison Whampoa through Cheung Kong Holdings, resulting in huge debts. In addition, the performance of various businesses under Whampoa has declined sharply in the past two months, and the amount of funds recovered is decreasing."

Add to that ParknShop's daily losses of millions of Hong Kong dollars, and the financial pressure is unimaginable. According to our Global Research Company's estimates, Hutchison Whampoa's current cash flow can only support it for a maximum of two months, or even less! "Ma Shimin continued.

Lin Haoran walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling scene of Victoria Harbour, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "Two months, shorter than I expected. It seems that Li Jiacheng is not as difficult to deal with as I thought."

“Boss, you’ve already defeated two British giants, Jardine Matheson and HSBC. Isn’t it only natural to defeat Mr. Li Ka-shing, who is just a Chinese entrepreneur?” Ma Shimin said dismissively.

As one of Lin Haoran's most key generals, Ma Shimin was well aware of just how terrifying Lin Haoran's wealth was.

“Don’t underestimate Li Jiacheng. Although he is a Chinese entrepreneur, the fact that he was able to acquire those Hutchison Whampoa shares from Huifeng Bank at a low cost is enough to show that he is not simple. We just took advantage of his weakness to deliver a fatal blow to him.” Lin Haoran turned around and said seriously.

If it weren't for his appearance, Li Ka-shing would have been the richest Chinese person for many consecutive years.

It can be said that his appearance directly disrupted the opponent's established business trajectory and added countless variables and highlights to this business game.

Lin Haoran naturally knew that Li Jiacheng would not easily admit defeat.

This is also why the other party has been contacting overseas investment banks one after another.

Even though Hutchison Whampoa is currently facing a tight cash flow and its financial chain is teetering on the brink of collapse, this business tycoon certainly still has a backup plan.

He turned back to his desk, sat down, and said to Ma Shimin, "Continue to closely monitor Li Jiacheng's every move, especially the details of his negotiations with those international conglomerates."

In addition, I've arranged for Global Research to conduct a more in-depth analysis of all of Hutchison Whampoa's businesses. I need to know the true state of every single one of their operations, and I can't overlook even the smallest financial loopholes.

Ma Shimin smiled mysteriously and said, "Boss, please rest assured, I have already arranged this. Tomorrow, Universal Research Company will hold a press conference. We have already invited dozens of mainstream media outlets in Hong Kong. At that time, Universal Research Company will release some data from their investigation, and this data will definitely deal a fatal blow to Hutchison Whampoa."

Ma Shimin had been planning this for a long time.

Coincidentally, it was also learned at this time that Li Jiacheng had contacted several international financial groups, attempting to obtain short-term financing through asset collateral.

How could Ma Shimin miss such a good opportunity?
Today, Hutchison Whampoa remains in the public eye as a super-corporation with healthy financial data and abundant assets.

However, if Global Research can provide solid data to reveal its true financial situation, market confidence will be severely damaged.

Last time, it was the press conference of the Global Research Company that dealt a fatal blow to Huifeng Bank, letting everyone know that Huifeng Bank had fallen into a crisis of broken capital chain, while Bank of East Asia had become the largest bank in Hong Kong.

Since that incident, Universal Research has become famous overnight and has become the most well-known research company in Hong Kong.

This press conference held by Universal Research Company is sure to pique the curiosity of the entire Hong Kong business and media community.

A glint of approval flashed in Lin Haoran's eyes: "This is a very good timing. Huanyu Research Company now has a certain level of credibility, so it's most appropriate for them to release this data."

He was still very satisfied with the research company he had acquired for a mere three million Hong Kong dollars.

It's inexpensive, but very effective.

Normally, they can assist their own company with market research and data analysis;

In critical moments, it can also become a powerful tool in business warfare.

This deal was truly excellent value for money.

He also wanted to acquire Hutchison Whampoa as soon as possible. In that case, Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong's formidable rival, would find it difficult to develop the same scale and influence as in his previous life by relying solely on Cheung Kong Holdings.

Lin Haoran can also use this opportunity to further consolidate his position in the Hong Kong and even Asian business community, and usher in a new era of business. From then on, no one in the Hong Kong business community will dare to lay a hand on him!
He's already satisfied with his market share in Hong Kong; he's unwilling to continue fighting with anyone.

As the base of his business empire, Lin Haoran only hoped that while he focused on investing in overseas markets, his base would remain stable and free from any problems.

"Will TVB Jade broadcast this press conference live?" Lin Haoran asked with a smile.

"Yes, I have already contacted Mr. Shao Yifu, and he has agreed," Ma Shimin replied.

“Okay, then I won’t be there tomorrow. I’ll watch the press conference on TV. It’s not appropriate for me to be there, and it would be best if you and President Cui didn’t show up either. Let Mr. Yu Zhize, the general manager of Huanyu Research Company, manage the whole thing. I have faith in his abilities,” Lin Haoran said after thinking for a moment.

To outsiders, although Oriental Media Group acquired Universal Research Company, the company still appears to be an independent entity.

"Don't worry, boss!" Ma Shimin nodded.

The two then talked about many other things, such as the hotel industry, ports, and retail.

These are all core businesses of Hongkong Land Group, and also core businesses of Hutchison Whampoa.

The two are now competing in too many industries.

If Hutchison Whampoa were to be acquired, it's easy to imagine that Lin Haoran would have an absolute monopoly in these industries.

"Boss, if we can successfully acquire Hutchison Whampoa, our market share in ports will exceed 70%, our retail business will account for half of the market, and our hotel business will be unmatched." Ma Shimin seemed a little excited when talking about the situation after the acquisition of Hutchison Whampoa.

This will be an unprecedented business empire!
Lin Haoran, however, remained calm: "Don't be overly optimistic. The acquisition is only the first step; the key is how to integrate them. Hutchison Whampoa has a complex portfolio of businesses, many of which overlap with ours. If we can't integrate them properly, they will become a burden."

He walked to the window, gazing at the Hutchison Whampoa Building in the distance: "More importantly, we must avoid attracting the attention of antitrust authorities. Although Hong Kong does not yet have strict antitrust laws, excessive market dominance will arouse vigilance from all sides."

Ma Shimin seemed to understand something: "So what do you mean?"

Lin Haoran said with a smile, "We can appropriately divest some non-core assets, such as the retail business. We can retain the high-end brand Watsons and transfer businesses like ParknShop to suitable buyers, which will not only avoid the suspicion of monopoly but also bring back funds."

What we need most are Hutchison Whampoa's docks, warehouses, commercial properties, and land!

ParknShop and Wellcome supermarkets actually have many overlapping locations. For example, the ParknShop and Wellcome supermarkets in Mong Kok are less than 200 meters apart. From a location perspective, it is unnecessary for two stores to exist at the same time.

Therefore, after acquiring Hutchison Whampoa, ParknShop supermarkets were not considered particularly high-quality.

If ParknShop is sold, a considerable sum of money can be recovered.

With control of the Langwei Group, a major fast-moving consumer goods conglomerate, Lin Haoran's retail empire is not afraid of any competition.

A price war?

This incident demonstrates that they can actually profit from price wars, while their competitors are losing money every day.

His advantage was already predetermined from the moment he started developing his fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brand.

Ma Shimin suddenly realized: "The boss is very shrewd! This way, we can acquire Hutchison Whampoa's core high-quality assets without causing too much backlash, and we can also recoup funds for other investments."

At this very moment, Li Jiacheng is contacting these international consortia, attempting to obtain short-term financing through asset-backed loans.

However, what he didn't know was that a grand conspiracy targeting Hutchison Whampoa had already quietly begun.

As a prominent figure in Hong Kong's business community, Li Ka-shing also possessed powerful intelligence sources and knew that Universal Research Company was about to hold a press conference.

But he never expected that the press conference held by Universal Research Company was actually aimed at Hutchison Whampoa!
　A new month begins, dear readers, please vote for me!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)