When will I have a long tassel?

"Xiao Tang, maybe you are really in trouble with your acquisition of PATEO."

In the SASAC office, Xie Tiancheng said to Tang Zifeng, who came to report on his work. Xie Tiancheng is in his early 60s this year and will retire soon. It is said that after Xie Tiancheng retires, the person most likely to succeed him is Tang Zifeng.

Wu Jun, deputy director of the Regulation Bureau who was accompanying him, said: "Zifeng, there is news from the Ministry of Commerce that the European Union is formulating a management regulation on the merger and acquisition of European companies by Chinese-funded companies, and plans to take measures against European companies involving sensitive technologies. Measures to restrict acquisitions include PATEO and other equipment technology companies that we hope to acquire.

“There are several members of the European Parliament who hold an anti-China stance. They have been active during this period and made a lot of remarks in the media regarding the impromptu acquisition of PATEO. The EU is under great pressure.

"Some EU officials who have good relations with China have suggested that if we are interested in a certain European company, it is best to speed up the pace of mergers and acquisitions and complete the mergers and acquisitions before the EU's management regulations are introduced, otherwise we may be restricted."

Tang Zifeng said disapprovingly: "Bureau Wu, the EU has been letting this trend go for a day or two. I think they are just bluffing. If they really don't want Chinese companies to acquire their so-called sensitive companies, they can release it at any time." There is a ban, so why do we keep letting it go like this?”

Xie Tiancheng said: "Your analysis makes some sense, but the risks Xiao Wu mentioned are also possible. In this period, there is indeed a lot of discussion in Europe about Chinese companies acquiring European companies. Aren't you worried about the long nights and dreams? ?”

"There is indeed a bit of such worry." Tang Zifeng admitted, but then added: "But worries are worries. It would be a pity if we spent hundreds of millions of euros just because of worries. In fact, we don't have to worry about it. You cannot buy PATEO. Buying PATEO can shorten the time for us to catch up with the international advanced level. If we cannot buy it, we can catch up by investing more ourselves.

"I believe that the general trend is that time is on our side. Whether PATEO or the EU wants to fight a delaying war or a war of attrition with us, we are really not afraid of them.

"I estimate that the EU is now in a dilemma between what it wants to sell and what it wants to establish. I'm afraid the regulations they talk about are just to cope with public opinion, and they may not actually be enacted."

“The EU also feels that it’s not good-looking.” Wu Jun said, “According to an EU official who complained privately to the Ministry of Commerce, the purchase price you offered to PATEO is too low. PATEO EU officials can also see the value of Tai. Your bid confuses PATEO with other junk companies."

Tang Zifeng raised his eyebrows: "Bureau Wu, is this term "garbage enterprise" also said by someone from the EU?"

Wu Jun did not expect that Tang Zifeng would pay attention to this issue. After a moment of surprise, he nodded and said: "They should have said it themselves. I also heard it from the comrades of the Ministry of Commerce. During this period, our domestic companies acquired in Europe There are many bankrupt companies, and most of them don’t have much core technology. Even the EU itself looks down on them, and they probably call these companies junk companies internally.”

"Haha, that is to say, if what we acquire is their garbage company, they won't care. However, PATEO is not a garbage company, so they want to create complications." Tang Zifeng said.

Wu Jun said: "That's for sure. Of course the EU won't care about those companies that don't have much core technology. For them, these companies are just a burden. We are willing to acquire them, but they can't get enough of them. But PATEO's The situation is different. It holds many technology patents, which are the key to Europe's competitiveness. If it sells them for only three pennies, the EU will not lose face."

"Since we are collecting waste companies from Europe, we might as well not collect them. Director Xie, can our State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission issue a notice requiring companies not to acquire European waste companies, and not to take advantage of Europeans in vain? "Tang Zifeng said.

Xie Tiancheng shook his head and said: "Xiao Tang, your idea is too extreme. The garbage companies Xiao Wu mentioned are not really garbage, they just don't have too many key core technologies. Some companies still have some technologies themselves. Compared with domestic enterprises, they are still ahead. If domestic enterprises can merge and acquire these enterprises and learn from each other's strengths, it will also be beneficial to the development of our enterprises. How can we say that we will not accept them without accepting them? "

Tang Zifeng said: "Director Xie, this is not extreme, but a matter of national dignity. Think about it, Europe is now in a debt crisis, and a lot of companies are on the verge of bankruptcy. The only one who can save them is China. In Under such circumstances, they are so arrogant that they only allow us to acquire companies that they consider to be junk. We are not allowed to acquire companies with a little bit of technical content. How can you tolerate such anger?"

"This is normal, the EU also has their own ideas..."

Wu Jun blurted out. Before he could finish speaking, Xie Tiancheng waved his hand to stop him, then looked at Tang Zifeng and asked, "Xiao Tang, what do you think we should do?"

Tang Zifeng spread his hands: "Didn't I just say that the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission will issue a notice directly requiring domestic companies not to acquire European waste companies. It would be best to jointly issue a notice with the Ministry of Finance, National Development and Reform Commission, and Ministry of Commerce. Not only do state-owned enterprises not go to Europe for mergers and acquisitions, but private companies also don’t go there, so let the EU keep those junk companies in its hands to fertilize them.”

Hearing Tang Zifeng say this, Wu Jun opened his mouth subconsciously, wanting to say something, but found that Xie Tiancheng frowned, seeming to be thinking about Tang Zifeng's plan, so Wu Jun did not dare to say anything more. Wu Jun was Xie Tiancheng's secretary, and he was prudent in his work, but in terms of quick wit and scheming, he was far inferior to Tang Zifeng.

After seeing Tang Zifeng's nonsense, the old leader, instead of scolding him, fell into deep thought. Only then did Wu Jun realize that there might be other mysteries in Tang Zifeng's words. Wu Jun and Tang Zifeng are also old acquaintances. They know that Tang Zifeng has many clever ideas. It may seem like a casual joke, but there is often a deep meaning in it.

"It is inappropriate for the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission to directly issue such a notice."

After thinking for a long time, Xie Tiancheng said to Tang Zifeng.

"What's wrong?" Tang Zifeng asked.

Xie Tiancheng said: "The implication is unknown. We directly intervene in the mergers and acquisitions of enterprises without sufficient reasons. It is easy to introduce dissatisfaction from the EU, which may actually prompt them to pass regulations that restrict the mergers and acquisitions of Chinese enterprises."

"The acquisition of European companies is still beneficial to many of our companies, including you, don't you sincerely want to acquire PATEO? If the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission issues such a notice, it will be equivalent to blocking the road in the future. There’s not much leeway.”

"Indeed, there is an economic and trade cooperation agreement between our country and the EU. If the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission issues a document restricting companies from conducting mergers and acquisitions in Europe, it would be equivalent to a unilateral breach of contract and could easily lead to retaliation from the EU." Wu Jun found the reason for his existence again, He quickly echoed Xie Tiancheng's words.

"Isn't the reason ready?" Tang Zifeng said nonchalantly, "EU officials themselves said that they only allow us to acquire junk companies, and good companies will not allow us to acquire them. Is this a discriminatory clause? They are unkind, we Unjust, isn’t this a normal thing?”

Xie Tiancheng said: "The words "garbage companies" are just what some EU officials said privately, and are not the EU's official attitude. We use such a sentence to attack the EU, which is not weighty enough. When the time comes, they will not admit that they have said such things. We are passive."

"Director Xie, why do I feel that as your position grows bigger and bigger, your courage becomes less and less?"

Tang Zifeng joked with a smile.

When Wu Jun heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched, not knowing what to say. Speaking of which, he was undoubtedly closer to Xie Tiancheng, but he would never dare to point his finger at Xie Tiancheng's nose and say that Xie Tiancheng was becoming less and less courageous.

Tang Zifeng has always been a man of his own. He would dare to joke with any leader who was casual with him. At first, he was just the same person as Zhou Heng, but later he became familiar with Xie Tiancheng, and he was equally open-minded about Xie Tiancheng. Wu Jun had seen things like this where Xie Tiancheng was choked in person many times.

But things were so strange. The more Tang Zifeng acted silly and cute, the more his leader admired him. Tang Zifeng is seven or eight years younger than Wu Jun, and is already above Wu Jun. He may take over Xie Tiancheng's position in the future and become Wu Jun's immediate boss. How can Wu Jun reason with this?

"It's not that you are timid, but you are in this position and you need to be thoughtful when doing things."

Sure enough, Xie Tiancheng didn't care about Tang Zifeng's disrespect. Instead, he explained happily, seeming to care about Tang Zifeng's criticism. Seeing that Tang Zifeng seemed to have no intention of enlightening, Xie Tiancheng added: "Xiao Tang, there are some things that are not appropriate for the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission to do directly. If it can be promoted with the voice of the people, the effect will be better. To At this time, whether it is advancing or retreating, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission has more leeway, what do you think?"

"Ha! It turns out that Director Xie had this idea in mind!"

Tang Zifeng understood it immediately and couldn't help laughing:

"Director Xie, if you want to use me as a gunman, just say it clearly, why bother beating around the bush like this? That's right, the EU did not take action directly, but found a few gunmen to shout to us from a distance. We should Treating others the way they are treated, isn't it just public opinion? Who hasn't paid attention to public opinion yet?"

"Now that you understand, why are you still staying here? Do you want me to treat you to lunch? Let me tell you, no way!"

Xie Tiancheng waved his hand as if to shoo away flies, as if he disliked Tang Zifeng to the extreme, but he had a loving smile on his face.

Wu Jun's glass heart was broken again.