In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 775 The Big Boss Among Big Bosses, Lin Haoran, Who Shows No Mercy!
With Guo Henian's arrival, Lin Haoran also met more and more prominent Chinese businessmen.

These people are scattered all over the world.

They come from Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Europe, America, Japan, and so on.

Among them, those from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia are the most numerous.

This is quite normal, since these areas are closer to the inland areas.

And indeed, future investors in mainland China will mainly be business owners from these regions.

Lin Haoran had often heard of Hong Kong businessmen and Taiwanese businessmen in his previous life.

Besides Guo Henian, Bao Yugang, Li Jiacheng, Mr. Huo, Cao Guangbiao, Li Zhaoji, Zheng Yutong, Guo Bingsheng, and others whom Lin Haoran was familiar with, there were also many business tycoons he was not familiar with but had heard of.

These unfamiliar people are mainly because they are not Hong Kong businessmen, so it's normal that Lin Haoran is not familiar with them.

Undeniably, most of these people made significant contributions to the economic development of mainland China in the future!
Therefore, on the 13th and 14th, Lin Haoran did not go out sightseeing, but instead, under the guidance of Guo Henian, he exchanged ideas with these top Chinese businessmen from all over the world.

Lin Haoran naturally became the object of everyone's eagerness to befriend him.

Although there were many prominent Chinese business leaders present, none of them could compare to Lin Haoran in terms of assets.

After all, Lin Haoran's publicly known assets were enough to terrify everyone.

Hongkong Land Group, HK Electric Holdings, Hong Kong and China Gas, Kowloon Motor Bus, Wan Ching Group, banks and securities firms, Longway Group, Hong Kong Telephone, etc.

It can be said that any one of them is a behemoth that would make everyone present take notice.

These companies all share a common owner: Lin Haoran.

Not to mention, these are only Lin Haoran's assets on the surface.

Everyone present was a seasoned businessman, and they all knew that a company's actual value often far exceeded its book value.

Therefore, when it comes to wealth, none of these Chinese business tycoons can compare with Lin Haoran.

What's even more astonishing is that Lin Haoran achieved such success in less than three years.

This rapid rise is nothing short of a miracle in business history.

Therefore, rather than saying that Guo Henian brought Lin Haoran to make friends with these Chinese business tycoons from all over the world, it would be more accurate to say that these business giants all wanted to take this opportunity to establish connections with this newly emerging business legend.

On the evening of the 14th, in the banquet hall of the Beijing Hotel, Lin Haoran attracted everyone's attention wherever he went.

Even seasoned veterans who have been navigating the business world for decades have to take notice of this young man.

"Mr. Lin, I've long admired your name." A prominent Chinese businessman from Thailand stepped forward. "I've heard you handled several acquisitions in Hong Kong with great success; you're truly a force to be reckoned with."

"Mr. Chen, you flatter me," Lin Haoran replied modestly. "Your business layout in Southeast Asia is truly admirable."

Guo Henian, smiling, added, "Mr. Chen's CP Group is a leader in Asia's agricultural and livestock sector; you two could certainly exchange ideas."

Lin Haoran immediately smiled and said, "Indeed, my Langwei Group also has a presence in food processing. For example, I've already acquired Red Bull from Thailand. Perhaps we can have some cooperation opportunities."

This conversation instantly stirred up ripples in the crowd, immediately attracting the keen interest of other Chinese businessmen nearby.

Soon, a small circle of communication quietly formed around Lin Haoran. People stood, leaned, or rested around him, naturally surrounding him, and the conversation spread like ripples.

At first glance, the scene seemed a bit strange—most of the people present were middle-aged or elderly, after all, business success often requires the accumulation and experience of time.

But it was precisely this youngest one, Lin Haoran, who was not even thirty years old, who became the focus of everyone's attention.

Upon closer examination, it makes perfect sense.

In any field, the rule of the strong prevails is an unchanging principle.

Although Lin Haoran is young, he has accumulated far more wealth than many of the business veterans present.

The business world is a battlefield where strength determines success, and wealth and achievements are the most direct badges of honor.

The business world is never a battlefield for lone wolves, but rather an ecosystem where you need to leverage resources and achieve mutual benefit.

Although Lin Haoran has already built his own business empire, he understands the principle that "a single tree cannot make a forest."

Now, being able to take advantage of this opportunity to establish connections and exchange resources with these Chinese businessmen who have established deep roots all over the world will undoubtedly inject strong momentum into his future global business layout and pave a broader road.

He was well aware that through these two days of exchanges, he had not only built connections but also established prestige among the Chinese business community.

This is perhaps another great gain from this trip to the mainland!
After all, he doesn't usually have such a good opportunity to get to know so many Chinese business leaders from all over the world.

However, Lin Haoran also felt a bit emotional, realizing that he had unknowingly become one of the biggest business tycoons in China.

This feeling is actually quite wonderful, and he likes it very much.
Back at Diaoyutai that evening, Lin Haoran wrote in his diary: "Many grains of sand make a tower, and many small contributions make a robe. Today we make many good connections so that we can work together for development tomorrow. When Chinese businessmen are of one mind, their strength can break gold!"

His ambition is great: to expand the market to the whole world.

It is clearly difficult to rely solely on his own strength now.

Even if you have money, you will be ostracized in someone else's territory if you don't have connections.

Just like in the United States, if he hadn't met Walter Riston, the chairman of Citibank, through trading gold futures, he would never have been able to obtain such substantial profits there.

Therefore, establishing connections with these Chinese businessmen who have deep roots all over the world is crucial to his future global expansion.

Time flew by and it was now October 15th.

The early autumn morning in Beijing was chilly, but the Fangfei Garden at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse was warm and inviting.

Soon, it was nine o'clock in the morning!

An economic symposium, spearheaded by the State Planning Commission, was held on time in a medium-sized conference hall adjacent to the Great Hall of the People.

The event was attended by a total of 23 people, all of whom were invited Chinese business tycoons from around the world. Each name on the list is powerful enough to shake up the economic landscape of their respective fields.

Lin Haoran, Guo Henian, Bao Yugang, Li Jiacheng and others were prominently featured, sitting on either side of a long table covered with dark green velvet.

The meeting's main purpose was clear: to invite these well-informed and wealthy Chinese business leaders to offer their advice and suggestions for the reform and opening up of the mainland, and more importantly, to encourage them to invest real money in the mainland market, which has huge potential but is also full of unknowns.

The leaders of the State Planning Commission gave a warm and enthusiastic opening speech, outlining a grand blueprint for the development of the inland areas and highlighting their urgent needs. Their words were earnest and their expectations were high.

However, as the microphone was passed from one of the bigwigs to another, the atmosphere subtly shifted to a different kind of "warmth"—a cautious, distant politeness.

As a highly respected "shipping magnate," Pao Yugang took the lead in speaking, affirming the determination to develop in the mainland, emphasizing the long-term nature of investment, and mentioning his "steady" layout in the mainland's shipping and shipbuilding industries. However, he was vague about the specific details and scale of the investment, which seemed more like an experience sharing and a statement of support.

Li Jiacheng followed closely behind, his smile gentle and his tone calm.

He praised the rapid development of Beijing and mentioned some of Cheung Kong's "beneficial attempts" in the mainland, but then changed the subject to talk about the complexity of the investment environment, the need to observe the period of policy stability, and the necessity of "providing more adequate protection for investors".

Its core meaning is self-evident—large-scale investment?

The time is not right yet; we need to wait and see.

Despite the significant loss of power that Li Ka-shing suffered from losing Hutchison Whampoa, he still managed to maintain his position.

Even relying solely on Cheung Kong Holdings, he remains one of the big names in Hong Kong's business world.

Several representatives of overseas Chinese businessmen from Southeast Asia then spoke, with similar content: expressing their satisfaction and expectations for the development of their motherland, and sharing some superficial industry insights, such as the cost advantages of light manufacturing and the importance of infrastructure.

When discussing their investments, they cleverly avoided the keywords "large-scale" and "specific commitments," instead mentioning either extensions of existing small projects or statements like "actively researching" or "looking for a suitable entry point."

Guo Henian sat diagonally opposite Lin Haoran, his brows slightly furrowed. He agreed with Lin Haoran's analysis from yesterday, but looking around at the "Tai Chi" of the big shots, his initial enthusiasm cooled down a bit.

He maintained a cautious tone similar to others in his remarks, only emphasizing his "strong interest" and "continued attention" to the mainland market.

After all, it's normal to have such thoughts. The mainland is so vast that it would indeed be difficult to develop if it received too little support.

Halfway through the meeting, an unspoken sense of perfunctory attitude and a faint disappointment permeated the air.

The leaders of the State Planning Commission maintained their polite smiles, but a hint of anxiety was hard to hide in their eyes.

These business tycoons, who have dominated the market for decades, clearly possess an extremely keen political sense and risk assessment ability.

Although the mainland is determined to reform and open up, the road ahead is fraught with difficulties. There are huge uncertainties regarding how policies will be implemented, how markets will be regulated, and how systems will be integrated.

Before the situation becomes clear, no one is willing to place a heavy bet.

The so-called "suggestions" have become nothing more than empty platitudes.

At the end of the long table, Lin Haoran listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the surface, his gaze calm and serene.

Liu Xiaoli, who was sitting next to him as his "personal secretary," could already feel the awkwardness and oppression of the scene.

Originally, Lin Haoran had not planned to have Liu Xiaoli attend, since only he knew that this secretary was only temporary.

However, he noticed that most of the other big shots had assistants or secretaries with them, so he simply brought Liu Xiaoli along to make up the numbers.

It doesn't matter if I don't understand anything.
She glanced at Lin Haoran, seeing his composed demeanor and unwavering calm even in the face of adversity. This calmed her tense nerves and made her even more curious about how he would handle the situation. She could sense that Lin Haoran was determined not to be just a passive listener.

Finally, the microphone was passed to Lin Haoran.

He didn't rush to speak, but instead looked around at everyone present. His gaze was calm, yet it carried an invisible penetrating power, as if he could see through everyone's inner thoughts.

The silence that followed instantly quieted the previously noisy hushed conversation, and everyone's eyes involuntarily focused on him.

What will this youngest, yet most prominent and highest-ranking "newly rich" figure, who has already received the highest level of courtesy from the mainland, say?
"Thank you for the opportunity to speak, and thank you to all the senior colleagues who shared their experiences." Lin Haoran's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a calm strength that was beyond his years.

"This year is a crucial juncture for the mainland, a time when the wave of reform and opening up is just beginning, full of infinite possibilities, yet also facing many challenges."

Standing at this historical juncture, I would like to offer a few suggestions based on my own experience in the business field and my observations of global market trends.

"First of all, policy stability and transparency are the key cornerstones for attracting large-scale investment."

As many experienced investors have mentioned, the investment environment is complex, and the core concern behind this is the stability and transparency of policies.

Taking Hong Kong as an example, its status as an Asian financial center is largely due to the consistency and predictability of government policies.

The mainland is currently in a period of economic system transformation, and policy adjustments are inevitable. However, it is recommended that a long-term and stable policy framework be formulated in key investment areas, such as foreign investment access, tax incentives, and industrial support, and that the policy intentions and adjustment mechanisms be clearly communicated to global investors.

For example, a dedicated policy advisory committee could be established, inviting domestic and international experts and investor representatives to participate, to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of policies and make timely adjustments, thus reassuring investors.

"Secondly, infrastructure construction is the core engine for unleashing the potential of the mainland market."

The mainland has a vast territory, but there are huge differences in infrastructure such as transportation, energy, and communication in different regions.

Taking transportation as an example, an efficient logistics system is the lifeblood of commodity circulation and industrial development. Where roads are open, wealth flows. If we don't even have good infrastructure, how can we talk about reform or attracting investment?

"Furthermore, talent is the core element for promoting high-quality economic development."

The mainland has a huge population base, but there is a relative shortage of high-quality, professional talents.

On the one hand, we must strengthen the construction of the education system and improve the quality of higher education, especially to cultivate application-oriented talents who can meet market demands.

We can collaborate with renowned foreign universities to introduce advanced educational concepts and curriculum systems, and cultivate professionals with an international perspective and innovative capabilities.

On the other hand, preferential policies should be formulated to attract overseas Chinese experts and high-end talents to return to China to start businesses and work.

For example, providing housing subsidies, research funding support, and tax incentives can alleviate their concerns and allow them to fully dedicate themselves to the economic development of the mainland.

"Dear seniors, the reform and opening up in mainland China is a magnificent historical process that has provided unprecedented development opportunities for us Chinese businessmen."

With our capital, technology, and market experience, we have both the responsibility and the obligation to contribute to the economic development of the mainland. I believe that as long as we work together, the mainland's tomorrow will be even more glorious!

After Lin Haoran finished speaking, the conference room was silent for a moment, then burst into enthusiastic applause.

The leaders of the State Planning Commission had a look of joy and anticipation in their eyes, while the other Chinese business tycoons also showed thoughtful expressions.

Bao Yugang smiled and cast an approving glance at Lin Haoran, secretly admiring the young man's foresight and sense of responsibility.

"In addition, I would like to say a few words to everyone here. You are all my seniors and role models. You have been navigating the business world for many years and your experience and insights far exceed mine. The concerns you just mentioned, such as policy expectations, market regulations, and risk management, are all extremely important and are fundamental to business decisions."

He first showed full respect and affirmation, which eased the tension on the faces of some people, including Li Jiacheng.

But then, Lin Haoran abruptly changed the subject, like a sharp sword being drawn from its sheath: "However, if we merely remain concerned and hesitant about the risks, then the significance of today's symposium will likely be reduced to a mere formality."

Reform and opening up is an unprecedented feat. What it needs is not empty pleasantries, but the commitment to provide timely help.
What's needed isn't advice from those watching from the sidelines, but action from those actively involved!

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked!

This was almost a direct critique of the "essence" of everyone's previous remarks, so sharp that it caused the expressions of several bigwigs to change slightly, and also invigorated the leaders of the State Planning Commission, who straightened their backs.

Liu Xiaoli's heart jumped into her throat, and her palms sweated slightly. She hadn't expected Lin Haoran to be so "ruthless" right from the start.

Lin Haoran ignored the subtle changes in their expressions. His eyes sharpened, his speech quickened, and his tone became decisive and unwavering:

"The mainland needs investment, but it needs even more strategic investment that can bring about structural changes and be deeply integrated into the pulse of national development!"
Instead of piecemeal, tentative investments.

We Chinese businesspeople, connected to the mainland by blood, should have even greater vision and courage!

He paused briefly, allowing his words to settle in everyone's minds, before delivering something even more impactful:

"I hereby formally announce that all of my groups will invest an additional one billion US dollars in the mainland over the next three years!"

The number "one billion" was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating huge waves in the venue.

Even the business tycoons who were used to big events couldn't help but be moved.

This amount exceeds the total investment scale of everyone else present in mainland China, and even exceeds the entire net worth of more than half of them.

In reality, one billion US dollars is not a large sum for Lin Haoran's companies.

One billion US dollars is roughly equivalent to just over 50 billion Hong Kong dollars in this era. With so many companies under Lin Haoran's control, it would only require each company to invest a few hundred million Hong Kong dollars more.

He certainly doesn't mind throwing too many shots; he only worries about throwing too few!

The leader of the State Planning Commission was so excited that he almost stood up. He gripped the microphone tightly, his voice trembling slightly: "Comrade Lin Haoran, your promise is so inspiring! It fully demonstrates the responsibility of a patriotic entrepreneur!"

"Mr. Lin, you have so much confidence in the mainland market. Have you seen some opportunities that we haven't noticed?" In the conference hall, Mr. Huang Yicong, a paper tycoon whose main business is in Indonesia, asked tentatively. His question represented the sentiments of many people present.

These Chinese businessmen, who hold enormous amounts of capital, are full of concerns about the unfamiliar yet vast mainland market, despite their wealth.

Therefore, they have absolutely no intention of investing large sums of money in the mainland.

Unless the mainland can completely eliminate all their concerns.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on Lin Haoran, including officials from the State Planning Commission.

Lin Haoran suddenly felt an immense pressure on his shoulders.

After all, if he makes a mistake in his words, he could become a "sinner" in the effort to attract investment to the mainland.

It must be said that answering this question is a thankless and arduous task.

Lin Haoran knew that every word he said at this moment could influence the investment decisions of these Chinese business tycoons, and thus have a profound impact on the overall situation of attracting foreign investment to the mainland.

He pondered for a moment, then said with sincerity and determination: "Mr. Xie has asked the key question. My confidence is not unfounded. The reason I dare to invest heavily in the mainland is because I have seen three advantages that cannot be matched anywhere else."

He looked around at everyone, his eyes clear and confident: "The first is 'momentum'. Reform and opening up is a major policy set by the country, and developing the economy is a consensus across the country."

Once this momentum is established, it is irreversible. For us Chinese businesspeople to return and invest is both seizing an opportunity and following this general trend.

"The second is 'people'," he continued. "There are a billion hardworking and intelligent people in the mainland who yearn to change their destiny and are willing to work hard for it."

In my factory in Guangdong Province, the workers' learning ability and hard work far exceeded my expectations. Such high-quality human resources are rare globally.

“The third is the ‘market’.” Lin Haoran held up his third finger. “A huge market with more than one billion people is moving from basic needs to a moderately prosperous society.”

From soap and toothpaste to radios and televisions, consumer demand is exploding; the depth and breadth of this market are enough to accommodate all our dreams.

His clear and insightful argument left everyone present deep in thought.

Even the well-informed Bao Yugang couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Well said, Mr. Lin!" At this moment, the leaders of the State Planning Commission took the lead in applauding.

Immediately, the entire conference hall erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Perhaps many people are just following the crowd and applauding, but it must be said that what Lin Haoran said is completely correct and has indeed touched the hearts of many people.

The applause lasted for more than ten seconds before gradually subsiding.

Mr. Huo added at the opportune moment: "Haoran is right. I have been investing in the mainland for many years, and my deepest feeling is that the people here are eager for development, the government is fully supportive, and the market potential is limitless."

We Chinese businessmen have both blood ties and a deep understanding of Chinese culture; we truly have the advantage of favorable timing, location, and people.

The endorsement from the two business leaders greatly boosted the confidence of the Chinese businesspeople present.

Soon, the atmosphere became more lively, and everyone began to discuss the possibility of investing in detail.

"Mr. Lin, do you welcome other companies to set up operations in your industrial park in Guangdong Province?" a Taiwanese businessman engaged in electronics manufacturing asked.

“Of course you’re welcome,” Lin Haoran responded immediately. “We are building a complete industrial chain and desperately need like-minded partners.”

“Then we can cooperate on logistics,” another Singaporean Chinese businessman who operates a shipping business chimed in. “My fleet can guarantee the transportation of raw materials and finished products.”

As the conversation deepened, Guo Henian whispered to Lin Haoran with satisfaction, "Haoran, you made the right move. It's better for everyone to win than for one to win alone. Making this pie bigger will benefit everyone."

Lin Haoran smiled and nodded.

(End of this chapter)