At the Pinnacle of Power: My Insider Report Alarms Bigwigs in Beijing's Elite Circle

Two days later, the Guangdong Eastern Province Economic Work Conference for the first half of the year was held.

Lin Yi and Liang Zhenhua, the Party Secretary of Shenzhen, represented Shenzhen at the meeting.

At 8:45 a.m. on the day of the meeting, Lin Yi arrived at the provincial party committee's main conference room.

In the conference room, the heads of provincial departments and the secretaries and mayors of various cities had already arrived. They all turned their gazes to Lin Yi, their eyes showing some surprise.

More than a month after the trade war broke out, it has had a severe impact on my country's economy, affecting not only foreign trade but also exacerbating the downturn in the real estate industry.

Pengcheng's real estate reform has been thrust into the spotlight, and Lin Yi, the mastermind behind the reform, has become the target of public criticism.

Moreover, this year's Guangdong Provincial Work Report explicitly stated that all cities and prefectures were required to ensure the completion of their economic targets. However, none of the cities and prefectures, including Shenzhen, completed their targets for the first half of the year.

If the task is not completed, various departments and cities will certainly mention the impact of the real estate market, in addition to blaming the trade war.

Under these circumstances, today's meeting can be regarded as a denunciation meeting against Lin Yi—they all thought that Lin Yi would ask for leave and be absent from the meeting, but unexpectedly Lin Yi still came!

Lin Yi noticed the gazes of the crowd, but he didn't care and silently walked to his seat.

After 8:50 a.m., provincial leaders involved in economic work arrived one after another.

At nine o'clock, the provincial party committee standing committee members, led by Guo Kaiping, entered the meeting room and sat on the rostrum.

"Comrades, let's have a meeting."

Because Executive Vice Governor Zhou Xingwen was placed under investigation, and a new Executive Vice Governor had not yet taken office, the meeting was chaired by Jiang Tao, a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Governor in charge of finance, science and technology, and industry and information technology.

After the meeting began, provincial departments, represented by the Provincial Bureau of Statistics, the Provincial Department of Finance, and the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, gave their reports. The data were not very good, and the atmosphere in the meeting room began to become somewhat depressing.

After the provincial departments reported, local cities followed suit, reporting on their work and task completion in the first half of the year, as well as analyzing the reasons for their failures. All of them mentioned the impact of the trade war and the real estate market.

Whenever someone mentioned the impact of real estate, some attendees would turn their gaze to Lin Yi, as if to say: Lin Yi is the culprit!

Faced with various departments and cities passing the buck, and with resentful glances from all sides, Lin Yi remained unconcerned.

"Next, please let Pengcheng City report on its economic work in the first half of the year."

After all the other cities had finished reporting, the Standing Committee member and vice governor who was presiding over the meeting turned his attention to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi was to give a report on behalf of Pengcheng City, and it was the last report to be given; this was specially arranged by the meeting.

As Jiang Tao, the Standing Committee member and Vice Governor, finished speaking, everyone, from Guo Kaiping and others on the podium to the attendees below, turned to look at Lin Yi.

"Distinguished leaders, I will now report on Pengcheng City's economic work in the first half of the year. In the first half of the year, Pengcheng City adhered to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, focused on promoting supply-side structural reform, advanced shantytown renovation and real estate reform, vigorously developed emerging industries, actively implemented the new development philosophy, and took 'four adherences, three supports, and two leading positions' as its guiding principles. We accelerated the construction of a modern, international, and innovative city and an international science and technology and industrial innovation center, and strived to build a pioneering zone for socialist modernization. Major economic indicators were slightly below expectations..."

Lin Yi first reported on the economic situation and related data, then continued, "In the first half of the year, Pengcheng City failed to meet some of its planned economic targets, mainly due to the impact of the trade war in May. The trade war has had a certain impact on Pengcheng's import and export trade, industrial investment, and industrial production..."

Lin Yi is really stubborn!

When the main leaders of provincial departments and cities heard Lin Yi's analysis of the reasons, they couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Now, not only cities in eastern Guangdong, but all over the country, people are blaming the sluggish real estate industry on Shenzhen's real estate reforms. However, when Lin Yi reported, he didn't mention a word about the impact of Shenzhen's real estate reforms.

This is tantamount to showing no remorse and going against the leader. How could the leader possibly let Lin Yi off the hook?

As expected, after Lin Yi finished his report, Liu Zhong was the first to challenge him: "Comrade Lin Yi, please report on the impact of Pengcheng's real estate reform on Pengcheng's economy in the first half of the year."

Liu Zhong, as a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, was responsible for liaising with Pengcheng City. It was entirely reasonable for him to make demands on Lin Yi's report at the meeting.

"Secretary Liu, the impact of shantytown renovation and real estate reform on Pengcheng's economic development is controllable," Lin Yi said.

Liu Zhong angrily rebuked, "Comrade Lin Yi, in the first half of the year, Pengcheng City failed to complete more than half of its economic targets. Where do you get the confidence to say that the impact of real estate reform on Pengcheng City's economy is controllable?"

“Secretary Liu, if it weren’t for the sudden trade war, Pengcheng’s economic development in the first half of the year would have been completely unaffected by the real estate reform, and would have even exceeded expectations in achieving various economic targets!” Lin Yi retorted directly.

Liu Zhong's tone turned cold, and he directly accused Lin Yi: "Comrade Lin Yi, I hope you understand that it is a fact that Pengcheng City failed to meet its economic targets for the first half of the year, it is a fact that Pengcheng City was impacted by the trade war, and it is a fact that Pengcheng City's real estate reform has affected the development of the real estate industry in the province and even the country, dragging down the economic development of the province and the country!"

"Secretary Liu, a trade war and technological blockade are bound to happen sooner or later. We are squeezing out the real estate bubble in advance, promoting independent technological innovation, developing emerging industries and transforming the economy, all in order to deal with all of this!"

Lin Yi, expressionless, stated his viewpoint: "There will definitely be a period of growing pains in dealing with the trade war and economic transformation, but I believe that a short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one!"

"Comrade Lin Yi, you are the mayor of Pengcheng City. Whether the pain is short-term or long-term is not up to you. Please understand your position and recognize your place—the work of Pengcheng City must serve the overall situation of the province, and even more so, the overall situation of the country!" Liu Zhong used his power to intimidate others and continued to attack Lin Yi.

This time, before Lin Yi could reply, Liang Zhenhua, who was also sitting on the platform, said, "Okay, Secretary Liu."

After speaking, Liang Zhenhua glanced at Lin Yi, exchanging glances with him and reminding him that there was no need to confront Liu Zhong at the meeting; it was pointless—the success of Pengcheng's real estate reform would ultimately be judged by those above!

Hearing Liang Zhenhua's words and noticing his gaze, Lin Yi knew that Liang Zhenhua was trying to smooth things over, so he gave him face and said no more.

His confrontation with Liu Zhong at the meeting stemmed from his unwillingness to tolerate such a clown and his desire to use the opportunity to clarify his own views.

Because he knew very well that everything that happened at the meeting would most likely reach the ears of the higher-ups.

"Now, please welcome Governor Guo to speak."

Seeing that the argument between Lin Yi and Liu Zhong had ended, Jiang Tao, the Standing Committee member and vice governor who was presiding over the meeting, glanced at Guo Kaiping and Liu Zhong. Seeing that the two did not express their opinions, he spoke according to the meeting agenda.

"Clap clap..."

Soon, applause filled the conference room.

Guo Kaiping turned on the microphone in front of him and said in a deep voice, "Just now, the comrades reported on the economic work in the first half of the year. None of the cities and prefectures have completed their economic targets for the first half of the year. The main reasons are the decline in real estate investment and the impact of the trade war. In the second half of the year, in addition to following the annual work plan and doing a good job in the economic work, our focus will be on dealing with the impact of the trade war on the province's economic development."

First, we must find ways to reduce the impact of the trade war on exports, such as through entrepot trade, exploring new markets, seeking new growth, and developing new industries. Second, we must increase investment and boost consumption to reduce the impact of trade shocks on the economy. Below, I will outline some requirements regarding the two core points of economic work in the second half of the year and responding to the impact of the trade war.

Guo Kaiping first pointed out two key points, and then elaborated on them, which is his speaking habit.

When he concluded by mentioning increasing investment and boosting consumption, his gaze fell on Lin Yi: "Houses are the biggest consumer good for ordinary people, and real estate is one of the most important investment areas. I urge all cities to boost the real estate industry in the second half of the year, and I require Pengcheng City to temporarily suspend real estate reforms!"

Upon hearing Guo Kaiping's words, everyone turned their attention back to Lin Yi.

Guo Kaiping's remarks at the meeting were tantamount to representing the provincial party committee in rejecting Pengcheng's real estate reform!

This time, Lin Yi did not refute.

He knew that because of the outbreak of the trade war, Guo Kaiping was no longer standing aside as before, but had sided with the He family gang in eastern Guangdong.

At the same time, he was well aware that Guo Kaiping's choice was not only driven by personal interests and risk aversion, but also largely by the choice of the camp behind him!

This also foreshadows that whether or not to carry out real estate reforms after the trade war begins will become the focus of the above debate!

Guo Kaiping and others, representing the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, expressed their stance on this issue to higher authorities, which had a significant impact!

The next day.

The release of a press release from the economic work conference held in eastern Guangdong Province in the first half of the year has sparked heated discussions.

He Qingyun, who was serving as the Deputy Secretary of the Jiangnan Provincial Party Committee and the Secretary of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee, received a phone call from his brother-in-law, Lu Liang, after reading the press release.

"Brother Qingyun, the press release of the Guangdong Province's economic work conference for the first half of the year has sparked heated discussions. Judging from the current situation, the real estate reform in Pengcheng City is likely to fail, and Lin Yi will become the scapegoat."

Lu Liang said excitedly, "In addition, I heard that not only Lin Yi, but also Wang Hongtao, who recommended Lin Yi to be the mayor of Pengcheng, will be implicated. Is that true?"

"Yes."

He Qingyun did not hide this fact.

Although he knew that the logic of those online experts, professors, financial influencers, and industrial capital agents who believed that Lin Yi's promotion of independent technological innovation, his attempt to change the global trade ecosystem, and his competition with the United States and other Western countries for profits at the top of the supply chain was the cause of the trade war and technological blockade was untenable.

The higher-ups won't blame Lin Yi for this; on the contrary, they might consider it a credit to him—that he enabled the country to prepare for all of this in advance!

But Lin Yi must take the blame for the real estate reform!

After all, Shenzhen's real estate reform has affected the national real estate industry and its industrial chain, impacting the entire economy and making it difficult to cope with the trade war.

After receiving a clear answer from He Qingyun, Lu Liang said gloatingly, "Brother Qingyun, if that's the case, then Lin Yi is completely out of the game?"

"It is your own fault and you will not live!"

He Qingyun sneered, indirectly giving the answer. At the same time, he thought of the eight words of the He family elder, "When things reach their peak, they decline; when things reach their lowest point, they rise again." He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "My grandfather saw things far ahead!"