Material Empire

Hearing Qin Hai's request, Cui Hongchun smiled slightly and said, Sure enough, the chief did not expect it. When we went to report the iron ore price increase to the central government, the chief said that Qin Hai would definitely take the initiative to invite Ying. , He even made a bet with our Chief Director.

Uh... Qin Hai was sweating profusely. The two leaders of the Central Committee made a bet for him. The scene was so beautiful that he couldn't even imagine it. After a brief moment of astonishment, Qin Hai asked: Uncle Cui, the matter of iron ore actually alarmed the central leadership?

Cui Hongchun nodded, and said: The price increase of iron ore can be said to be small or big. In a small way, it just affects an industry, although the price increase of upstream raw materials will bring downstream products. chain reaction, but the amount of less than 10 billion US dollars a year will not have much impact on the national economy. But in a big way, iron ore can increase the price, copper ore, crude oil, timber, soybeans and other bulk commodities They can also increase prices. If we cannot explore a mechanism to deal with price fluctuations in the international market, we will be controlled by others on various occasions. This is a great risk for our country. Therefore, the central leaders The issue of ore price increases is taken very seriously, and the Development and Planning Commission, the Economic and Trade Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and other departments are instructed to actively respond.”

Then, what does the central leadership mean? Qin Hai asked again.

Cui Hongchun said: The central government hopes that the Economic and Trade Commission can organize steel companies to unite and jointly negotiate with Vale and BHP Billiton to strive for a reasonable price.

Qin Haidao: This idea is correct, so what does the Economic and Trade Commission plan to do?

Cui Hongchun smiled wryly: The idea is completely fine, but it is not so simple to implement it. Each enterprise has its own difficulties. The Economic and Trade Commission has limited jurisdiction over enterprises, and it is impossible to use administrative orders. The method requires companies to do things. A few days ago, I asked the following comrades to count. At present, there are more than 500 iron and steel companies and foreign trade companies with iron ore import qualifications in the country. We must let these more than 500 companies act at the same pace. It's too difficult.

Then what should we do? Qin Hai asked curiously.

Cui Hongchun pointed at Qin Hai with a smile, and said, No, we're counting on you to resolve this conflict.

Me? Qin Hai was stunned for a moment, then laughed, and said, Director Cui, you guys are too bullying. I'm not from your economic and trade committee. The economic and trade committee didn't even pay me a penny of salary. Yes. I was asked to help with the regulation of the small iron and steel industry before, and now I am asked to help chair the iron ore negotiations. This is completely Latin.

Cui Hongchun said with a fake face: Didn't you take the initiative to do this just now? Did you forget it in a blink of an eye?

I'm just talking, are you serious? Qin Hai said shamelessly.

In fact, what Qin Hai said was just a polite sentence. From his heart, he really wanted to be the host. He knows that officials have too many worries in doing things. In this kind of international business negotiations, if there is no firm will, it is impossible to defeat the opponent. Many matters involving international cooperation in China have created opportunities for the other party because of internal conflicts of interests, and in the end they have to passively accept various unfavorable terms.

In contrast, Qin Hailai is much more comfortable doing this. He has his own company behind him, and he doesn't need to be hesitant when taking various measures. Someone will come to trouble him with the clause. Just like this, when managing small iron and steel, when encountering troubles caused by small iron and steel owners and media exposure, an official might have bowed his head a long time ago, but Qin Hai was able to remain unmoved, and even use more evil means Go fight back.

Qin Hai took the initiative to ask to lead the iron ore negotiations, of course, not absolutely because of the flood of patriotism. His own Daqin Group has an annual output of 50 million tons of steel, and the consumption of iron ore is also very large. The price of iron ore has risen. directly affect the interests of the group. Song Hongxuan made an estimate that if the price of iron ore per ton increases by 40 US dollars, Daqin Group's annual iron ore raw material expenditure will increase by more than 3 billion US dollars, equivalent to more than 20 billion yuan. Such a large profit is worth Qin Hai running for.

Uncle Cui, I would like to ask, if Daqin Group is appointed to lead the iron ore negotiations, how much authority can the Economic and Trade Commission give us?

After finishing those polite words, Qin Hai became serious and asked Cui Hongchun.

Cui Hongchun did not answer, but asked instead: What kind of authority do you need?

First of all, the import authority of iron ore must be reduced. Just now you said that there are more than 500 iron and steel enterprises and trading companies in the country with import authority. The iron ore import rights are reduced to 30 companies, so that they can be coordinated and avoid cannibalism. Qin Hai said.

Cui Hongchun frowned, and said: There is no problem in reducing the import rights, but it may be difficult to reduce the number of companies to 30. Let me do the math for you. There must be more than a dozen large foreign trade companies in the central government, right? 20 large iron and steel companies, by the way, including Daqin Iron and Steel Company, which belongs to your Daqin Group, can they not have the right to import iron ore? Every province, municipality, and city with a separate plan must retain at least one trading company with import rights. Counting it down, there are more than 30. Plus some special types of enterprises... At least, more than 120 have to be retained.

Qin Hai grinned, showing a mocking smile, and said: This is your government's problem. You have to consider this and take care of that. In the end, nothing can be done.

Cui Hongchun said: There is no way around this. The central government can't make a statement. If you want to let various departments and local governments do things, you have to take care of their interests, right? If you let it go too loose, it will easily lead to chaos; but if you control it too much, the system will That is to say, it has become rigid. Not to mention anything else, if I deprive your Daqin Iron and Steel Company of its import rights, would you be willing?

Okay. Qin Hai was defeated. What Cui Hongchun said made sense. As an entrepreneur, Qin Hai himself would like to have more autonomy. It is a reasonable request for the major steel companies and provinces and cities to have some authority. The Economic and Trade Commission would rather lose the iron ore negotiation than embarrass the lower units on such an issue.

Even if they retain their import rights, they are required not to sign iron ore import agreements with foreign companies without authorization within this year. All agreements must be reviewed by the Economic and Trade Commission before they can be signed. Isn't this a high requirement? Qin Hai asked.

Cui Hongchun thought for a while, wrote a note in his notebook, and said: I need to discuss this matter with several leaders. I can only say that I will do my best. Now that the country emphasizes streamlining administration and decentralizing power, we should not overdo it. intervene more in the business operations of enterprises.”

This is the price of marketization. Qin Hai sighed.

The unified planning system has its rigid side, but it still has its advantages when it comes to matters such as iron ore negotiations. At the very least, it can avoid the behavior of various companies tearing each other down. As a private entrepreneur, Qin Hai doesn't want the whole system to go back to the planning mode, but at this time, he misses the way that the central government has the final say.

Feelings are emotions, Qin Hai knows that he is powerless to reverse the trend of history, all he can do is to use his ingenuity and wisdom to do things the best under the existing system.

I hope that the Economic and Trade Commission will give me a name, so that I can negotiate with various steel companies alone. Otherwise, if the name is not correct, the words will not go well, and they will not even be interested in meeting me. Qin Hai demanded.

Chairman Qin Da is going to visit the iron and steel enterprises. I'm afraid everyone has to do the same? Cui Hongchun joked, and then said: It's not difficult to get a name. We are considering setting up a coordination group for iron ore imports. , if the central government can approve it, you should continue to be the deputy team leader.

It's another working group. Qin Hai smiled, Can't you be a little creative, what's your name?

Cui Hongchun also smiled and said: If you have any good ideas, you can suggest them. We old brains can only come up with such a name.

Uh, let's forget it, it's good to call it a working group. Qin Hai also had no interest in innovation, so he nodded and agreed, Then I will continue to be the deputy team leader.

It is a common practice of the government to refer to various agencies that carry out comprehensive coordination work as working groups. Not to mention trivial matters such as iron ore negotiations, even for major projects such as the development of the western region and the revitalization of the old industrial base in Northeast China that play an important role in the new century, their leading bodies are also called groups, and national leaders often condescend to be A group leader.

This kind of conventional name is more familiar to the officials in the system. If it is really changed as Qin Hai said, it may have the effect of superfluous. Facts have proved that every time Qin Hai carries the title of deputy team leader to work in the local area, it really makes people feel a little unclear.

After implementing the issue of status, the next step is to formulate policies, issue documents, and establish a multi-department coordination mechanism. Cui Hongchun discussed with Qin Hai one by one. Qin Hai had originally come prepared, with many well-thought-out ideas, and Cui Hongchun proposed amendments to these ideas based on his own work experience and the requirements of the work of the central government. Both parties are acquaintances, so there is no need to be shy about saving face. All kinds of views are put forward openly and honestly, which saves the cost of communication.

When he came out of Cui Hongchun's office, Qin Hai already held a Shangfang sword. However, he also knows that with a sword in his hand, he can't cut people casually. If he wants others to cooperate with his work, the most fundamental way is to convince others with virtue.