In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 750 The Governor-General is completely under Lin Haoran's control!

The Governor's Office.

After seeing off Mr. Tyron, the new tycoon of Standard Chartered Bank, Mak Rihau sat back down on the sofa.

He crossed his legs and puffed hard on his cigar.

Clearly, he was thinking about how to deal with this matter at that moment.

Mai Lihao originally thought that with Standard Chartered Bank as his backer and Li Jiacheng's own capital, although he was destined to lose to Lin Haoran, he was still quite capable.

Only when Li Jiacheng and Lin Haoran are both severely injured in their battle can he seize the greatest initiative and make his move at the right time.

But the result?

With just one press conference, Li Ka-shing was defeated so quickly and so thoroughly!
They were completely powerless to fight back!
Mai Lihao exhaled a thick smoke ring, his brows furrowed.

His original plan was to use the conflict between the two tigers to balance the situation, profit from it, and even take this opportunity to give Lin Haoran, who had been too powerful in recent years and was showing signs of getting out of control, a warning.

But now, Lin Haoran has swiftly and decisively dismantled Li Jiacheng's defenses almost overnight. The four directors have defected, public opinion is completely one-sided, and even Standard Chartered Bank has begun to back down.

This completely disrupted his rhythm.

“This Lin Haoran,” Mai Lihao muttered to himself, a hint of barely perceptible apprehension in his voice, “is too ruthless and too swift.”

He realized that he might have underestimated the young man's energy and determination.

Lin Haoran demonstrated not only substantial capital, but also a precise understanding of human nature and an almost ruthless ability to execute.

He could make Li Ka-shing's core partners turn against him and make Standard Chartered Bank's attitude ambiguous. The power behind his actions probably far exceeds his previous estimates.

Makri took a deep drag on his cigar, lost in deep thought.

Continue with hardline intervention?

Why would someone like Li Jiacheng, who has clearly lost power and is even burdened with huge debts, directly confront the rising star Lin Haoran?

Is it worth it?
Both Li Jiacheng and Lin Haoran are Chinese.

To the British, these Hong Kong Chinese were not one of their own.

While stability in Hong Kong is important, maintaining the efficiency of rule and relationships with truly powerful figures is even more crucial.

Li Jiacheng was a useful piece, but when he was clearly already a discarded piece...

Helping Li Jiacheng is definitely not worth it.

Moreover, although Lin Haoran was ruthless, his acquisition of Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa was not particularly flawed from a business perspective, and to some extent, it was even "cleaning up" the financial risks brought about by Li Ka-shing's overexpansion.

Forcibly intervening through administrative means is not justified and will only give others ammunition to use against it, damaging the Hong Kong government's image as a "free market".

But as Mr. Tyron of Standard Chartered Bank said, the Governor's Office should indeed restrict Lin Haoran's development in Hong Kong.

Otherwise, he could have truly controlled everything in Hong Kong.

This is not in the interests of the British government in Hong Kong.

After pondering for a long time, Mak Lei-ho stubbed out his cigar, having already made up his mind.

He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed a number, which was Lin Haoran's private number.

"Good afternoon, Governor!" Lin Haoran's hearty laughter came from the other end of the phone, clearly indicating that the call was coming from the Governor's office.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Lin. You should have some free time now, right? I would like to invite you to the Governor’s Mansion for a get-together. I have something to discuss with you!” Mai Lihao said in a deep voice.

"It is my honor to receive the Governor's kind invitation. Please wait for me for half an hour, and I will come over after I have finished my work." Lin Haoran's voice was still cheerful.

“Okay, thank you for your help, Mr. Lin,” Mai Lihao replied.

Kang Le Building, 51st floor.

Lin Haoran frowned after hanging up the phone.

The fact that Governor-General Merrih called him at this sensitive time is undoubtedly related to Li Jiacheng.

He had anticipated this.

The brief silence in the office was broken by Ma Shimin's感慨 (deep feelings/reflections).

"They're here! Even faster than expected. It seems our press conference has completely brought the Governor's Office into the spotlight. Merrihout will have to talk to you now," Ma Shimin said, sitting opposite Lin Haoran.

"Mr. Ma, do you think the Governor will side with Li Jiacheng this time?" Lin Haoran said with a smile.

The British understand the British better.

"No, if Mr. Mai Lihao really wanted to help Li Jiacheng, he should have made some indication yesterday, or simply prevented us from holding that press conference so easily."

When Mr. Li Jiacheng contacted him yesterday, he did not ask you to come to the Governor's Mansion. However, he contacted you immediately today, shortly after our press conference ended. This itself shows his wait-and-see attitude.

What he's worried about now isn't whether Li Jiacheng will fall, but who this knife will be pointed at next, how strong it will be, and whether it will really lead to a monopoly, disrupt order, or even cross certain red lines and harm the interests of the British authorities, as Li Jiacheng has accused.

As expected, he originally wanted to watch the two major Chinese forces, us and Li Jiacheng, fight each other to the death before he intervened.

But now, because of our overwhelming lead, Mr. Li is almost powerless to resist, so he has no choice but to step in!

Ma Shih-min's analysis was precise and calm, revealing Mai Li-hao's true intentions and his current awkward situation.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran smiled knowingly: "In other words, he's not trying to protect Li Jiacheng, but rather to put me in a bad light."
Or perhaps he's testing my limits, hoping to squeeze a share out of me and maintain his balancing act?

“That’s right, boss.” Ma Shimin nodded. “The Governor’s Office needs to confirm the boundaries of your ambitions and whether you are willing to act within the ‘rules of the game,’ especially the set of rules they have set.”

What worried him more was the emergence of a completely out-of-control business tycoon who might even challenge the authority of the Governor-General's office.

Lin Haoran nodded; he understood that point.

Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to directly confront Mai Lihao head-on. After all, there's an old Chinese saying that merchants shouldn't fight with officials, which has its reasons.

However, Lin Haoran doesn't need to be too submissive in front of Mai Lihao. His business empire is not only in Hong Kong, but also has huge assets overseas.

Just handle it normally.

"So, this trip is not only to reassure him, but also to make him understand that cooperation is the only option." Lin Haoran stood up, straightened his suit, and continued with a smile, "Let him know that a stable and prosperous Hong Kong, with which he maintains good communication, is in my best interest."

My goal has never been to challenge anyone, but to build a more efficient business empire. And an efficient empire often requires a stable environment and support.

Ma Shih-min nodded in agreement: "That's right. Appropriately demonstrating strength and determination, while expressing respect and willingness to cooperate, is the best strategy for dealing with a politician like Merrihau."

Half an hour later, Lin Haoran's Rolls-Royce drove into the Governor's Mansion.

He got out of the car calmly and, led by his secretary, walked into Malihao's office again.

"Mr. Lin, please sit down." Mai Lihao gestured to the sofa and sat down opposite him, getting straight to the point, "We don't need to beat around the bush. You have already taken the initiative in the matter of Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa."

I invited you here today in the hope that you won't go too far in your actions. Hong Kong is a highly international city, and the Governor's Office does not want Mr. Lin to monopolize Hong Kong's business world.

Lin Haoran calmly sat down, a humble yet fearless smile on his face: "Governor, you flatter me. I dare not accept the word 'monopoly'."

Hong Kong's market is free and open, and the capable prevail. All my business activities strictly abide by laws and regulations and can withstand any investigation.

Moreover, a healthy competitive environment benefits all my companies equally, and I have no incentive to undermine it.

He paused briefly, then looked at Merrih with a candid gaze: "I understand the Governor's concerns. Rest assured, my goal is not to monopolize the market, but to eliminate the financial risks accumulated previously through optimization and integration, and to build a more efficient and internationally competitive corporate group."

This will not only ensure the employment stability of existing employees, but in the long run, it will also enhance the resilience and vitality of Hong Kong's overall economy. A healthier and stronger business entity will be entirely beneficial to Hong Kong's tax revenue, employment, and international reputation.

As he listened, Mai Lihao couldn't help but pick up the coffee next to him and take a sip.

Lin Haoran's response remained impeccable, completely standing on the high ground of "rules," "efficiency," and "common interests."

“Efficiency and international competitiveness are certainly important,” Merrih said, crossing his legs and emphasizing his point as he tried to get to the heart of the matter, “but excessive concentration itself weakens competition.”

The Governor's Office has a responsibility to maintain market diversity and balance. Mr. Lin, how can you guarantee that you will not use your market dominance to do things that harm the interests of other small and medium-sized enterprises and consumers?

Just like the business competition between Wellcome Supermarket and ParknShop Supermarket this time, although I did not intervene, your price war has indeed interfered with other small and medium-sized enterprises in the same industry.

Your business empire is already large enough; further expansion will not benefit the Hong Kong business community as a whole.

When Lin Haoran heard Mai Lihao mention the price war between Wellcome and ParknShop, he didn't show any panic on his face. Instead, he showed a helpless yet sincere smile.

“Governor, you mentioned Wellcome and ParknShop, which is a perfect example illustrating the nature of market competition and the benefits of healthy competition,” Lin Haoran replied calmly. “Oh? Benefits? As far as I know, many small and medium-sized retailers are already complaining bitterly about not being able to survive, and many small supermarkets have even closed down for the past month to mitigate their losses,” Mai Lihao raised an eyebrow, trying to seize this opportunity.

"In the short term, price competition will indeed put pressure on some less efficient operators. This is an inevitable growing pain of market metabolism."

Lin Haoran readily admitted this, but then changed the subject, "But please look at the other side: this competition forces all participants, including ourselves, to do everything we can to improve operational efficiency, optimize the supply chain, and reduce costs."

Who ultimately benefits? The citizens of Hong Kong! They will be able to buy higher-quality goods at lower prices.

He said with sincere eyes, "Moreover, Governor, true market competition is never, and should never be, about protecting the weak and inefficient, but about encouraging all businesses to innovate and improve through survival of the fittest, thereby raising the overall level of the industry and its ability to serve the citizens."

Wellcome's competition with ParknShop is precisely about doing this. We invest heavily in building modern logistics centers and introducing advanced inventory management systems; these investments will ultimately translate into a benchmark improvement in efficiency across the entire retail industry.

"As for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that you are concerned about," Lin Haoran continued, "I believe the key to solving the problem lies not in restricting the development of efficient enterprises, but in how to help SMEs find their own differentiated space for survival or enhance their own competitiveness."

For example, differentiated operations, improved service experience, and utilization of new technologies are the fundamental solutions, rather than simply restricting market competition.

He cleverly shifted the focus of the issue from "restricting large enterprises" to "helping small and medium-sized enterprises transform and upgrade."

Mai Rihao found himself being drawn into the other person's logic once again.

He could not refute the argument of "improving efficiency and benefiting citizens," and he found it even harder to oppose the proposal of "helping small and medium-sized enterprises improve themselves."

Seeing this, Lin Haoran pressed his advantage, offering a more specific promise: "Governor, in order to completely dispel your concerns, I hereby promise:"
First, the competition between Wellcome and ParknShop will strictly adhere to the principle of fairness, and there will be no malicious dumping behavior below cost price;

Second, I will instruct the team to proactively communicate with industry associations to explore how to establish healthier industry competition guidelines.

Third, I am willing to support the Governor's Office or an independent third-party organization in establishing a market health monitoring mechanism to ensure that competition is on a healthy track.

This series of specific commitments not only demonstrated the sincerity of cooperation but also made the regulatory proposals concrete and operational, completely silencing Mai Rihao.

Mai Lihao leaned back on the sofa and remained silent.

He discovered that all his worries were resolved by this young man in a more constructive and higher-level way.

The other side is not on the defensive, but is actively planning and leading the solution.

How can he possibly reprimand the other party?

This young man is indeed not easy to deal with!

He took a deep breath and finally gave up the idea of ​​pressuring and restricting him. Remembering the request from Mr. Tyron, the patriarch of Standard Chartered Bank, he directly and bluntly said, "Mr. Lin, let me be frank. Regarding the shareholding battle between you and Mr. Li Jiacheng, I hope that everyone will give way a little."

You must have gained a lot from this business competition. Knowing when to stop is the best way to ensure long-term success.

Leaving Mr. Li Jiacheng a way out is also leaving yourself some leeway. Turning hostility into friendship is more conducive to the harmony and stability of Hong Kong's business community.

He tried to use the righteous cause of "harmony and stability" to pressure people; this was his last resort.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran's smile faded slightly, but he remained composed.

He began, “The Governor should also know that I have never provoked them from the beginning. Just like Jardine Matheson and Huafeng Bank, I never provoked them. It was they who thought I was easy to bully that forced me to retaliate.”

As for Mr. Li Jiacheng, I have always held him in high esteem as a senior figure in Hong Kong's business community. However, his repeated attacks on me have forced me to retaliate.

Upon hearing this, Mai Lihao remained silent.

He naturally knew what Lin Haoran was talking about.

As the Governor of Hong Kong, he had access to the most powerful intelligence sources, and very few things he wanted to know could escape his notice.

Lin Haoran continued, "Now that I am in a position of absolute advantage, it would be impossible for me to give in unilaterally if I were to do so. Not only would I be unable to explain this to my shareholders and partners who trust and support me."

It will also send a wrong signal to the market: that as long as the means are strong enough and the background is strong enough, even unreasonable provocations can eventually force the other party to compromise.

This, perhaps, is the behavior that truly damages Hong Kong's business environment and the spirit of the rule of law.

Mai Lihao frowned. He had expressed his purpose so directly, but Lin Haoran was not giving him any face.

Lin Haoran keenly caught the fleeting displeasure on Mai Lihao's face.

He naturally understood that, having reached this point, he had to give the other party a way out; otherwise, even if he was in the right, it would be unwise to completely offend the supreme ruler of Hong Kong.

He changed the subject, his tone becoming extremely sincere, even carrying a hint of helplessness: "However, Governor, you have personally intervened to mediate this matter. If I, Lin Haoran, were to stubbornly stick to my own opinions, I would be too inconsiderate."

Mai Lihao's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly as he looked up at Lin Haoran, waiting for him to continue.

Lin Haoran looked at Mai Lihao with sincere eyes: "I can make concessions, but not because I think I have done something wrong, but out of respect for you and consideration for the overall stability of Hong Kong."

I hope my concessions will bring about genuine reconciliation and lasting peace, rather than a temporary truce.

He paused briefly before stating his conditions: "I can give up seeking a controlling stake in Cheung Kong Holdings, but I need Cheung Kong Holdings to sell its Hutchison Whampoa shares to me at a reasonable price, not at the secondary market price. I need to discuss this with Mr. Li Ka-shing."

If he doesn't budge, then I'm sorry, I can only continue to seek to maintain my controlling stake in Cheung Kong Holdings. This isn't to disrespect the Governor, but rather to give myself an explanation.

The business world is like a battlefield. I have invested a huge amount of resources in this commercial competition, and I must reap some rewards. I understand and respect the Governor's wish to settle things peacefully, but please also understand my situation.

If Mr. Li is willing to transfer his Hutchison Whampoa shares at a reasonable price, enabling me to smoothly complete the strategic integration of Hutchison Whampoa, then I can consider not increasing my stake in Cheung Kong Holdings, but only maintaining my existing stake, and supporting Mr. Li's continued leadership of Cheung Kong Holdings.

Therefore, out of respect for the Governor, I can give Mr. Li a chance to speak, but the final outcome depends on whether Mr. Li is willing to seize this opportunity that can truly achieve 'harmony and stability'.

Lin Haoran's words both saved face for Mai Lihao and pursued his own interests.

As for him, he had already promised Bao Yugang that he could give the other party a chance to make concessions.

In conclusion, whether he will ultimately continue to seek a controlling stake in Cheung Kong Holdings depends on Li Ka-shing's decision.

He himself has no interest in controlling stake in Cheung Kong Holdings, but if the other party does not concede, he would not mind taking control of Cheung Kong Holdings first, and then selling his Hutchison Whampoa shares to Galaxy Securities as the controller of Cheung Kong Holdings!
Of course, he couldn't possibly say these things to Meryl Streep.

To outsiders, his goal remains the same: to gain dual control of Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa.

Asking him to relinquish his controlling stake in Cheung Kong Holdings seems like a significant concession.

His goal now is actually very simple, and he doesn't ask for much.

First, Cheung Kong Holdings voluntarily relinquished its 40% stake, and sold it at a low price, thus allowing him to completely control Hutchison Whampoa.
Secondly, he will continue to hold a certain number of shares in Cheung Kong Holdings in order to prevent Li Ka-shing from launching another counterattack in the future, and at the same time let Li Ka-shing help him make money!

However, this was undoubtedly difficult for Li Ka-shing to accept, especially the fact that Cheung Kong Holdings was forced to sell its Hutchison Whampoa shares at a low price.

Furthermore, the other party would certainly not want Lin Haoran to continue holding shares in Cheung Kong Holdings, which would be a ticking time bomb for Li Jiacheng.

But now, the other party has no choice.

"This is the greatest concession I can make, based on my utmost respect for you, Governor, and for the stability of Hong Kong."

Lin Haoran spoke in a heavy tone, with a sincere tone of reluctance, "Giving up the controlling stake in Cheung Kong means that the huge amount of money and strategic planning I invested in acquiring its shares will have its returns greatly reduced."

But I believe it's worth it for the sake of longer-term peace and stability.

He cleverly portrayed himself as someone who sacrificed short-term interests for the greater good.

Mai Lihao listened to these words with a complicated expression.

He knew, of course, that Lin Haoran's words were true; giving up controlling stake in Cheung Kong was indeed a huge concession—at least on the surface.

This greatly reduced his previous unhappiness at being rejected, and he even developed a slight liking for Lin Haoran for being "sensible".

Mai Lihao's tone softened considerably, even carrying a hint of appreciation: "Mr. Lin, it wasn't easy for you to make such a decision, and I understand your sacrifices."

"Rest assured, I will personally speak with Li Ka-shing and make him understand that this is his last and best chance. He must accept this reality and exchange Hutchison Whampoa for Cheung Kong's survival. As the losing party, he needs to pay the price he deserves, which is reasonable."

"Thank you for your understanding and support, Governor. I look forward to reaching an agreement with Mr. Li so that this turmoil can be resolved as soon as possible, and everyone can focus on the development of the business and work together for the prosperity of Hong Kong," Lin Haoran said solemnly.

The talks concluded in a relatively amicable atmosphere.

Mai Lihao felt that he had successfully fulfilled his duties as a mediator, securing a chance for Li Jiacheng to survive and maintaining a facade of "harmony and stability."

Lin Haoran, on the other hand, perfectly concealed his true strategic goal—Hutchison Whampoa—with a seemingly huge concession, and successfully shifted the ultimate pressure and moral responsibility to Li Ka-shing.

As he left the governor's mansion and got into his car, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Lin Haoran's lips.

Throughout the conversation, Governor Merrihau was completely under his control, allowing him to proceed at his predetermined pace and in his predetermined direction.

Mai Lihao's initial intention to put pressure on and restrain Lin Haoran was completely thwarted by Lin Haoran's reasoned and persuasive approach, which combined soft and hard tactics. Instead, Mai Lihao became a messenger who helped Lin Haoran deliver an ultimatum to Li Jiacheng.

(End of this chapter)