Hong Kong variety show: I can boost loyalty, the most generous boss.

Chapter 93, Section 92. People from the Mainland: Yang Jun is a Good Comrade!

For the next month, VCD player advertisements flooded newspapers and television stations. Citizens of Hong Kong and Macau were very curious about VCD players, after all, they were advertised so well, and the resolution was much higher than that of video recorders.

"With such good performance, it must be very expensive, right?"

"Yes! A VCR costs over five thousand yuan, and a DVD player would probably cost at least ten thousand!"

"I've heard that CDs don't get blurry even after long use, which is much better than videotapes. There's definitely a reason why they're more expensive."

After a month of massive advertising campaigns and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on advertising, the public's appetite for the product was whetted.

Giant Group.

Yang Jun convened another meeting of the group's senior management to discuss the VCD player business produced by the subsidiary Feida Technology, and ordered that the product be launched simultaneously in five self-operated stores on Labor Day, May 1st.

There are five Feida DVD player flagship stores that have opened in Hong Kong: one in Central, one in Causeway Bay, one in Tsim Sha Tsui, one in Yuen Long, and one in Sham Shui Po.

Macau is relatively small, so there is only one casino, located near the Grand Lisboa Casino.

"Boss, what's our uniform retail price? I suggest 5999 yuan."

As the project leader, Liang Yongqi had the authority to set prices for VCD players, so he made this suggestion to Yang Jun.

"5999 yuan is too high; the average wage earner can't afford it, so we'll set it at 1999 yuan!"

Yang Jun made the final decision, setting a unified retail price for VCD players. His biggest goal now is to seize the market and monopolize the Hong Kong and Macau markets.

Priced at 1999 yuan, it's affordable for Hong Kong's average wage; at most, it'll only last a month on instant noodles.

"Alright, thank you all for your hard work these past few days!"

Yang Jun concluded the meeting, and the management of Giant Group went about their respective tasks, making final preparations for the launch of the VCD player.

The factory has already stocked 10,000 units, and the six Feida self-operated stores are ready!

Time flew by and it was May 1st. It happened to be a holiday, and many people were out shopping!
"Have you heard? A VCD player is only 1999 yuan, and the picture quality is even better than a VCR!"

"Let's go! Let's buy one right away, then we can watch movies and listen to music at home!"

Two women in their thirties arrived at the Feida DVD player store in Central and were stunned to find a long queue of hundreds of people. To the uninitiated, it looked like they were getting free eggs!

"No way! We have to queue to buy things?"

"Exactly, it's not like it's free. People in Hong Kong are really rich. They're still scrambling to buy it for 1999 yuan?"

Are you going to queue or not?

"Since we're already here, let's just wait in line. My husband is waiting to watch 'A Better Tomorrow' on VCD; he really likes Mark Gor!"

Buy a DVD player and get ten free DVDs – that's the marketing campaign launched by Feida Technology.

When Yang Jun arrived at the Central store for inspection, he was taken aback by the surging crowds, with several long queues.

"Mr. Liang, you didn't hire people to queue up, did you? There are so many people."

This scene is comparable to the frenzy for iPhones in later generations, leading Yang Jun to suspect that these were shills, paid people to create a lively atmosphere.

"No! The company doesn't have that budget! These are all guests~"

Liang Yongqi rolled her eyes at Yang Jun. How could she possibly do something so deceptive?
Tearing... Terrifying!
Liang Yongqi was also shocked; she hadn't expected VCD players to be so popular.

I visited several stores, and there were queues everywhere. Only the store in Yuen Long, because of its remote location, did not have a queue!
The following day at noon, the sales data from the previous day were tallied. The exclusive stores in Hong Kong and Macau sold a total of 5,000 units, with a total turnover of 10 million.

"Boss, yesterday's sales were ten million, and after deducting all expenses, the gross profit was 920 million."

When Liang Yongqi saw the turnover and net profit, he was shocked. This was not just huge profit, but even robbing a bank wouldn't have been this fast!
What business is the most profitable? It's not an illegal business, but a monopoly!

A VCD player costs only 2 yuan to produce but sells for 1999 yuan, yielding a profit of nearly ten times, making it more profitable than any other business.

"Not bad! But our inventory is running low. I didn't expect that 10,000 units wouldn't last even two days."

Yang Jun originally prepared an inventory of 10,000 units, intending to sell them for half a month. However, the market was too hot, and the inventory could only last for two days before it was about to run out of stock.

"Let each store pre-order, and then deliver it to your door when the goods arrive!"

"The factory in Kwun Tong will increase wages by another 10%, add equipment and production lines, and increase production to 3000 units per day."

"By the way, is Jimmy back yet?"

Yang Jun sent Jimmy to the mainland a month ago, and there should be news by now. The factory in Hong Kong is limited in size, making it difficult to recruit people.

If we can open a factory in mainland China, we can reduce labor costs and increase efficiency significantly.

"Jimmy is arriving in Hong Kong tonight, we'll have a meeting tonight!"

That evening, Yang Jun met with the weary Zhan Mi and hosted a welcome dinner for him at the Peninsula Hotel.

"Boss, the Shenzhen government is very supportive of our work. We have obtained the land use rights for 1 mu of land, which can be used to build a factory."

Jimmy excitedly pulled out a document with the approval from the Shenzhen government, showing that Giant Group had acquired 1,000 acres of land for just over two million Hong Kong dollars.

On average, it costs less than 10,000 yuan per mu (unit of land area), which is incredibly cheap, much cheaper than in Hong Kong.

This location is also in the Shekou Industrial Zone, facing Yuen Long across the sea, and will become a prime piece of land in Shenzhen in the future.

In Hong Kong, land is measured in feet, while in mainland China, acres are used as the unit of measurement. Indeed, the mainland is vast!
“Great, Jimmy, go back to the mainland immediately and get the factory built. Our Feida Technology VCD player production is seriously insufficient.”

Jimmy spent one night in mainland China and returned to Shenzhen the next day. He was born with the life of a beast of burden!

Over the next month, VCD players became a huge hit in Hong Kong and Macau, and Chow Shui-fat, as the spokesperson for VCD players, stimulated another wave of consumption.

In just one month, Feida Technology, a subsidiary of Giant Group, sold 15 VCD players, generating sales of 3 million yuan and a staggering net profit of 2.7 million Hong Kong dollars.

Financial media outlets across Hong Kong have been reporting on Feida Technology, praising it as a shining example of Hong Kong's manufacturing industry, demonstrating that Hong Kong also has its own high-tech sector.

Hong Kong has always been world-renowned for its shipping and financial industries, but its manufacturing industry is not particularly outstanding. It mainly does OEM manufacturing for the electronics industry of island nations and the United States, and does not have its own core technologies.

Now that Feida Technology has taken the lead in the world in the field of electronics and home appliances for the first time, the Hong Kong media are very excited and have written extensively to praise Feida Technology as a national pride and a national enterprise!
Yang Jun quickly became a star entrepreneur in Hong Kong, and his interviews were broadcast on TVB, making him an entrepreneurial idol for young people.

After Feida Technology became famous, many large groups also set their sights on this hot commodity. Since Feida Technology was not listed, they could only approach Yang Jun through connections.

Fanling Golf Course.

This is the most upscale and largest golf course in Hong Kong, where many international tournaments are held. It's a members-only course, and as the owner of a listed company, Yang Jun naturally has a ticket to attend.

"Ah Jun, come here, let me introduce you to some new friends~"

Wearing a white baseball cap and a tracksuit, Bao Chuanwang saw Yang Jun get off the caddy cart and immediately shouted loudly.

The shipping magnate was accompanied by five middle-aged and elderly men, all of whom were Chinese-owned business owners with an average age of over 50.

"Mr. Bao, could this be the boss of Feida Technology?" Beside Bao Chuanwang was a middle-aged man in his fifties wearing glasses. He looked refined but exuded an imposing aura!

Li Ka-shing? The future richest man in Asia?

Yang Jun recognized him at a glance; this middle-aged man was none other than the famous Li Ka-shing, the owner of Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa, whose personal wealth was second only to the shipping magnate, making him an absolute tycoon among Chinese-owned businesses.

Just as Yang Jun was sizing up Li Ka-shing, Li Ka-shing and other bigwigs were also sizing up Yang Jun. He was too young!
He looks very composed. This young man is remarkable; no wonder he has achieved so much!
"Mr. Li, you are our idol! Acquiring a British trading company is a source of pride for the Chinese!"

Yang Jun reached out and shook hands with Li Jiacheng.

A source of pride for the Chinese people? Li Jiacheng couldn't suppress his smile. He had a very good first impression of Yang Jun; this young man knew how to talk!

"Mr. Yang, you're amazing too! You built a fortune of billions from scratch at such a young age. Truly a force to be reckoned with!"

"Yes! Old Li is right, you're much better than us old men!"

An elderly man standing next to Li Jiacheng, thin and with a mole on the corner of his mouth, smiled and said to Yang Jun.

This is Zheng Yutong, the jewelry tycoon and owner of New World Group. He also looked at Yang Jun with curiosity, showing great interest in this young man!

The other two are Cao Guangbiao, the owner of Hong Kong Dragon Group, and the youngest one is Wu Zheng, the president of Wharf Holdings and the son-in-law of the shipping magnate.

Yang Jun got to know these bigwigs one by one. Apart from the shipping magnate, he was meeting the others for the first time. They were all top business tycoons in Hong Kong.

"Ah Jun, this is Director Bai, an official from the mainland, and a good friend of mine."

Director Bai was a middle-aged man in his early forties. He wore glasses, had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a square face. Among the uniformly dressed men in suits, he stood out in a Zhongshan suit.

Director Bai? A mainland official who can sit with a group of bigwigs must be of a high rank!

Yang Jun didn't know the extent of Director Bai's influence, but the big shots all respected him, so Director Bai was definitely not a nobody.

"Comrade Yang, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Director Bai's eyes lit up when he saw Yang Jun. He had just learned that Yang Jun had invested in a factory covering 1,000 acres in mainland China and planned to invest there.

"Comrade Yang, I've wanted to get to know you for a long time. You're really generous on the mainland, investing two hundred million Hong Kong dollars in one go."

Director Bai was very excited, and he wasn't faking it. Among all foreign investments, Yang Jun's was the largest.

What? The people around, including shipping magnate Bao and Li Ka-shing, were all taken aback. Giant Group had invested 200 million to build a factory in mainland China?

The shipping magnate only invested tens of millions as a trial, a small test. It was only the early 80s, and no one knew anything about the policies in mainland China.

To be honest, even shipping magnate Bao and Li Ka-shing were afraid that their assets would be confiscated and go down the drain!
Another aspect is that getting too close to the mainland will provoke retaliation from the Hong Kong government!

The Fok Ying-tung family is the only family in Hong Kong that has invested the most in the mainland. Now they can't even get a loan from HSBC. The reason is simple: they are being targeted by the Hong Kong government.

The Huo Yingdong family's business gradually ran into financial difficulties and was eventually overtaken by the four major families. One of the reasons for this was that they offended the Hong Kong government, which ultimately led their descendants to pursue careers in government.

"Director Bai, I am optimistic about the development of the mainland, and there will be a continuous stream of investment!"

Yang Jun also stated that there will be more investments in the future, and that he is the major investor!
Director Bai was indeed very excited and said to Yang Jun:

“Mr. Yang, if you have time to come to the mainland, I will personally receive you.”

"This is my business card. Feel free to call me if you have any questions!"

Director Bai is very familiar with Hong Kong's tycoons. He had already investigated Yang Jun, who not only owns two listed companies but also Hong Kong's largest film company.

Not only are they wealthy, but they also wield considerable influence in public opinion, making them prime targets for united front work.

Yang Jun is a good comrade! We must win him over to the Chinese camp.
Most importantly, Yang Jun is still so young. Give this young man another ten years, and who knows how he will develop by then!
"Thank you, Director Bai!"

Yang Jun took the business card, glanced at it, and his pupils dilated. Wow! The office director in charge of liaising with Hong Kong and Macau, definitely one of the big shots!

The two sides exchanged business cards, and just based on that one business card, today's trip to Fanling was worthwhile.

Next, they played golf together, but Director Bai left after five minutes.

"Great shot! Ah Jun, you still say you can't do it? Hole in one shot! Even professional players can't hit as accurately as you!"

Bao Chuanwang was speechless. His group of experienced golfers were completely outmatched by this young man, Yang Jun.

"Jun, you can't bully people like this!"

Li Jiacheng complained that he was also thoroughly impressed by Yang Jun's skills and his mentality collapsed after only half an hour of playing.

Is this what you call bullying? Yang Jun's lips twitched. He had been trying his best to hide his strength, only digging the nearest hole.

I want to keep a low profile, but my abilities won't allow it!
Yang Jun's marksmanship and Little Li's flying dagger skills both require keen eyesight and control, while golf is a piece of cake for him.

Yang Jun felt there was no challenge; he had already used a level of skill, which was more than enough to deal with these business players.

After a game at the stadium, everyone got to know each other much better. Li Jiacheng even called him Ah Jun directly. When they chatted, they found out they were both from the Chaoshan region.

The Teochew people are very united in Hong Kong, and there are several Teochew community groups in Hong Kong.

"Ah Jun, I didn't expect we were from the same hometown. Can you speak Chaoshan dialect?"

Li Jiacheng and Yang Jun started talking alone, while Bao Chuanwang and the other two went to play ball on the other side, leaving the two of them to talk.

"I know a little, Cheng-ge. Have you gone back to your hometown for a visit?"

Teochew dialect is different from Cantonese; it belongs to the Min dialect group. Both its customs and culture differ from those of other parts of Guangdong province.

"I went back last month and did some repairs on the temple in my hometown!"

Li Ka-shing's lack of investment in his hometown, including temple construction, suggests he still doesn't have a positive outlook on the mainland.

Li Ka-shing's choice to remain neutral between the mainland and the Hong Kong government is akin to a fence-sitter, swaying back and forth.

The two chatted in Chaoshan dialect for a while, then Li Ka-shing suddenly asked:

"Ah Jun, is Feida Technology looking for funding? I'm quite optimistic about your VCD player business!"

As expected of Li Ka-shing, he has a keen business sense and has his eye on the profitability and development prospects of VCD players.

For businesses to grow, they naturally need financing. Bank loans are financing, listing on the stock exchange is financing, and there are also Series A, Series B, and Series N angel investments.

Li Ka-shing took the initiative to approach Feida Technology, wanting to invest in the company and buy shares!

Yang Jun personally holds 92% of the shares of Giant Group, which in turn holds 100% of the shares of Feida Technology. All of Feida Technology's shares are in Yang Jun's hands.

"Oh, what price can you offer?"

(End of this chapter)