Reborn in 1977

Chapter 574: Want to Invest

Zhou Zhengdong and his group had only two purposes for coming to Lujiawan this time: one was to see the environment in which Chen Fan was now living, and the other was to express their gratitude to Lujiawan.

Therefore, they didn't have a specific goal in mind. After giving out the gifts, they wandered around the brigade with Zhang Wenliang.

Chen Fan?

Since he rarely came back, he was naturally busy introducing various aspects of the situation and asking for his input.

However, they didn't specifically separate; they would occasionally look at things on their own and sometimes walk together.

On the river embankment, a group of people rode horses, leisurely gazing at the scenery of the Jiangnan countryside.

Chen Fan glanced at Zhou Yali, who was fiddling with a shotgun, and reached out to help her hold it upright. "Although the shotgun has a short range, children in the countryside like to run around, so don't point the muzzle horizontally. It's best to hold it up towards the sky, unless you put the safety on."

Zhou Yali readily complied, "Okay."

She immediately held the gun upright obediently.

Turning the safety on was out of the question, or she might miss a good opportunity later.

She hadn't hunted yet.

Chen Fan made sure there were no problems before turning to Zhou Zhengdong and saying, "From the provincial capital to Yunhu, you've seen a lot of real-life urban and rural scenes along the way. No matter which aspect you consider, Lujiawan is currently the best village in terms of rural areas.

But a year ago, Lujiawan was no different from other production teams. Housing, transportation, education, medical care, including the most important income, were all similar.

Even so, on a national scale, the rural situation in the Jiangnan area is considered top-notch. It's a land of rice and fish, so as long as there are no floods, basic food and clothing are guaranteed. Only a few places like the Northeast can compare."

Zhou Zhengdong nodded, looking at the well-arranged two-story buildings in each team, and couldn't help but sigh, "Such villages are indeed rare. What's most special here is not the good material conditions, but the mental state of the villagers, which gives people a particularly uplifting feeling."

Zhang Wenliang smiled from the side, "That's because there's hope. Although we worked very hard before, whenever we thought about the year-end bonus, with a strong laborer only getting about a hundred yuan, we couldn't muster any enthusiasm."

Yang Xingxiu was also present today, mainly responsible for accompanying Zhao Wanru. Hearing her husband's words, she also chimed in with a smile, "But we couldn't not work, or we wouldn't even have that hundred yuan. So we all envied the workers at that time. Men wanted to get into factories, and women wanted to marry out."

Saying that, she looked at Chen Fan, her smile even brighter, "It wasn't until Xiaofan came and led everyone to engage in breeding, and then set up a cooked food workshop, and used his connections to pave the way, opening L湾 cooked food stores in the county and prefectural committees, and selling them to large units, that our lives got better."

Zhou Zhengdong listened to their words, constantly nodding gently. After she finished speaking, he said seriously, "I've seen your breeding farm and cooked food workshop. Although they are not large in scale, they are very standardized. The process flow is very strict, and the hygiene is also very good. Very good.

At the same time, you are not satisfied with the status quo and have set up a feed factory and a down processing factory, bringing unlimited possibilities for the future."

A group of people walked and talked, sometimes gathering and dispersing. When they were slightly away from the others, Zhou Zhengdong said to Chen Fan in a low voice, "When I was in Beijing, someone suggested to me that they hoped to invest in China. Is the mainland now able to accept foreign investment? If so, I think Lujiawan is a good project."

The things he had seen and heard in Lujiawan in the past two days made him very interested in this place. If he were to invest, he felt that this would be a very good choice.

At his age, he deeply understood that when investing in a project, one must not only look at the project's prospects but also at the people one is cooperating with.

And the hardworking and simple villagers of Lujiawan, as well as the selfless brigade cadres, were clearly the most ideal partners.

Not to mention having his nephew involved, so he definitely wouldn't be cheated.

Hearing his words, Chen Fan pondered for two seconds and said, "It is possible, but there are no clear relevant policies out yet, so it's basically a case-by-case basis. I think it's better to wait and see."

After a pause of two seconds, he turned his head to look at Lujiawan and smiled softly, "As for investing in Lujiawan, you should forget about it. Don't think that Secretary Yang and the others are very enthusiastic and actively pioneering, but in reality, they all care very much about collective interests.

If it were a project that was not closely related to Lujiawan, there would be some feasibility, but in terms of the current Lujiawan project, they would definitely not allow outsiders to interfere, let alone foreign capital."

Many people think that attracting foreign investment was something that happened after 1979. In fact, according to official data, in 1978, China approved 120 foreign-funded projects, with a contracted foreign investment of 810 million US dollars and actual utilization of foreign investment of 260 million US dollars.

Japan's Panasonic Electric was the first foreign company to promise to invest in China and provided a complete set of black and white picture tube equipment to the Shanghai Bulb Factory the following year, starting technological cooperation.

In addition, in July 1978, Dongguan County's Taiping Garment Factory cooperated with Hong Kong businessmen to establish the Taiping Handbag Factory, becoming the first processing enterprise with supplied materials in the country, and obtained the first license "Yuezi 001" issued by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

This is just the officially announced data, not including those projects that have not been formally approved and the number of foreign companies illegally entering the Chinese market.

The so-called illegal entry is mostly concentrated in the overseas Chinese hometowns along the coast of Fujian and Guangdong, where clans are relatively well-preserved, and it is very "convenient" for people of the same clan to do things.

Therefore, I don't know when it started, there were small factories that absorbed local villagers to work, and the commune turned a blind eye to these existences.

So long before the meeting, many places from top to bottom were already preparing to attract foreign investment.

Then it is reasonable for Zhou Zhengdong to receive an investment invitation.

It's just that Chen Fan didn't expect that he didn't like the project recommended by the big boss, but instead set his sights on Lujiawan.

Or is it because of himself?

He turned his head to look at Zhou Zhengdong and smiled, "You are more familiar with investment matters than I am. How should I put it, the direction of the mainland opening its doors and doing business with the world will probably not change. I think you can start considering this aspect now.

But on the other hand, you also need to make corresponding preparations, that is, the choice of investment projects, and the transformation of the investment management method for mainland projects.

After all, you are familiar with the American business environment, and the situation there is very different from here. If you have time in the future, you might as well come to the mainland more often to walk around and see.

In addition, … …"

He smiled meaningfully and said, "Aren't you a lawyer? Sino-US cooperation is just around the corner. After the official establishment of diplomatic relations, cooperation in the commercial field will definitely expand, including investment and other aspects of exchanges. In this regard, you have a lot to offer."

Zhou Zhengdong was an elite to begin with. Now that Chen Fan had revealed the truth, how could he not understand the reason behind it?

Immediately, his face filled with excitement, and he nodded repeatedly, "I didn't think of that before."

He turned to look at Chen Fan and laughed, "When I go back, I'll find a way to contact Washington. If I can confirm that diplomatic relations are about to be established, perhaps I'll set up an office in Beijing. It will be more convenient for us to meet then."

After a pause, he asked, "Do you have any suggestions for this office?"

Chen Fan said with a smile, "I don't have any specific suggestions, but I do have a word of advice."

Zhou Zhengdong raised his eyebrows slightly, "Tell me."

Chen Fan said, "Now that you've decided on the mainland, don't hesitate. If there are suitable projects, be proactive."

Matsushita took the lead when Konosuke Matsushita took the initiative to express his desire to invest in the mainland during the vice president's visit.

Chen Fan didn't plan to let Zhou Zhengdong snatch this precedent, as it was neither appropriate nor convenient. Don't be a trailblazer, move with the trend - this was Chen Fan's established principle.

Zhou Zhengdong was a little surprised by his words, "You just said that there are no clear policies yet and told me to wait."

Chen Fan smiled and said, "I said wait to see if the two countries can establish diplomatic relations smoothly and what the mainland's attitude is towards foreign investment."

Zhou Zhengdong understood as soon as he heard the beginning, "As long as it's determined that there are no problems with the direction, you can be bold and do it?!"

Chen Fan nodded slightly, waiting for the meeting at the end of this year and then the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year, then the direction could be determined, and it wouldn't be too late to take action then.

Then he continued, "After determining the investment, you will definitely encounter various problems. At this time, you must remember that, first, the determination cannot be changed, and second, you must be flexible in dealing with both superiors and subordinates. And one thing is very important."

Zhou Zhengdong stared at him without blinking, not neglecting him in the slightest because he was a junior and young.

Chen Fan gestured as he spoke, "Don't easily report problems from below to above. Solve the problem where it occurs, and try to adapt to local customs and abide by the rules."

These words were a bit obscure.

But Zhou Zhengdong immediately understood. He chuckled twice, "So, it's not all pure hearts."

Chen Fan shrugged, "When there are a hundred people, there are all kinds. When there are ten thousand people, there must be bad eggs."

As soon as Zhou Zhengdong heard this, he couldn't help but laugh heartily.

He reached out and patted Chen Fan on the shoulder, looking at his daughter in the distance who was still holding a gun and looking for prey, and couldn't help but sigh, "If your older cousin had three-tenths of your ability, I would wake up laughing in my dreams."

Chen Fan looked at Zhou Yali's figure, grinned, and said, "As the saying goes, first fate, second luck, third feng shui. In my opinion, she just has a good fate."

Putting aside everything else, Zhou Yali's naive nature and her willingness to listen to advice, as long as she follows his suggestions, she might even be able to get on the list of super-rich in this lifetime.

Sitting back and enjoying the fruits of her labor, isn't that a good fate?!

Zhou Zhengdong couldn't close his mouth with joy, "Thank you for your kind words."

At this moment, Zhou Yali suddenly pulled on the reins and turned her head to shout softly, "Little brother… little brother…"

A few black lines appeared on Chen Fan's head as he spurred his horse to trot over, "Why don't you shout louder? Who can hear you so softly?"

Zhou Yali waved her hand vigorously, "Keep your voice down, or the prey will run away."

Chen Fan glanced in the direction she was looking and was speechless, "Isn't it just a wild rabbit? There are plenty of them on the farm. Can't you hunt something else?"

Zhang Wenliang stopped talking to Zhao Wanru, turned his head and said, "Can the ones raised on the farm be the same as the ones hunted in the wild?"

Yang Xingxiu also laughed, "You're still talking about your sister. When you went hunting for the first time last year, you were even more excited than her."

Chen Fan righteously retorted, "No way."

The two of them rolled their eyes in unison, giving him a look to understand for himself.

Chen Fan decisively ignored them and said to Zhou Yali, "Why don't you shoot if there's prey?"

Zhou Yali raised the hunting gun in her hand and frowned, "It's too far away, I can't aim accurately. If I get closer, I'm afraid it will run away."

Chen Fan was speechless, looked at the rabbit under the slope on the inner side of the river embankment, and frowned. This distance was indeed a bit far for a novice.

So he took out a small stone, tossed it in his hand, and smashed it over with a 'biu'.

The fat wild rabbit fell to the ground in response. Chen Fan pointed to the rabbit and said to Zhou Yali, "Here, now you can go over and shoot it. It definitely won't run away."

Zhou Yali was stunned, looked at him, and then at the rabbit that didn't know if it was dead or alive, and couldn't help but go crazy, "Ah…"

Bang…

She forgot to turn off the safety, and her finger exerted force, and there was a gunshot, scaring everyone.

Even the peregrine falcon flying in the sky was so frightened that it plunged down and hid in Chen Fan's arms, refusing to fly.

Chen Fan checked the peregrine falcon and breathed a sigh of relief after finding that it was not injured. He turned his head and said with a dark face, "Still hunting?"

Zhou Yali held the gun, pouting, wanting to admit her mistake, but reluctant to give the gun away.

Zhou Zhengdong spurred his horse to catch up, glared at her unhappily, and directly took the gun and handed it to Chen Fan, "You're not allowed to hold a gun anymore."

Chen Fan took the gun, turned off the safety, and saw that Zhou Yali seemed about to cry, and couldn't help but laugh, "Okay, okay, isn't it just hunting? There are so many hunting grounds in the United States. You'll have plenty of opportunities to play when you go back."

Zhou Yali glanced at her father's dark face and lowered her head and said, "Daddy won't let me."

Zhao Wanru also reached out and poked her forehead, "Look at you, you can't even hold the gun steady. Now Mommy won't let you either."

Chen Fan turned his hand and carried the hunting gun on his back, looked at Zhou Yali who was about to cry, and laughed, "There are only small animals here, and hunting is not very interesting. Aren't we leaving for the Northeast tomorrow? There are big hunting grounds there, and you can even hunt tigers. I'll let you have enough fun then."

Zhou Yali suddenly raised her head, "Really?"

Zhao Wanru was a little worried, looked at Chen Fan and asked, "Is it safe?"

Chen Fan waved his hand and smiled, "Don't worry, I know the hunting team there. A few months ago, I hunted a tiger with them in the old forest. At that time, we also agreed to go hunting again in the summer.

Why don't we just call them all this time? Those people are veterans who have been hunting for decades. With them there, she will definitely have a chance to have her fill."

As soon as Zhou Yali heard this, she wanted to cheer, but she forcibly held back and looked at her parents expectantly, "Daddy, Mommy!"

Zhou Zhengdong glared at her, turned to look at Chen Fan, and said with a smile, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

Zhou Yali immediately raised her hands high, "Yay. I want to hunt tigers!"

Chen Fan shook his head with a smile and spurred his horse to run down the slope. What tigers to hunt, he should pick up the rabbit first.