Chapter 187 A Trip to Japan for Inspection: Importing Production Lines

Minister Cao pressed further: "Is it absolutely necessary to rely on satellite signals?"

Wang Xiao nodded: "We haven't found any other more suitable positioning methods. Well, I guess the drone market will only take off when more satellites are launched in the future."

General Cheng started clicking his tongue, seemingly deep in thought: "This is a problem. Launching a satellite costs a lot of money."

Wang Xiao focused intently on drinking her mung bean soup, keeping her eyes and mind at ease.

Minister Cao asked curiously, "Why are you interested in this?"

"It saves money." General Cheng said bluntly, "I feel that doing this can save a lot of money. Too many ants can kill an elephant."

He thought of this question the moment he first saw a science fiction story.

The Gulf War shocked the world and stunned the Chinese armed forces.

This was the first time everyone had realized that modern warfare could be fought in this way.

But to do it like Americans, that's really burning money, more money than paper.

Unfortunately, they had no money.

So drones are incredibly appealing to him.

Small items cost less money.

However, it is still an aircraft, and if done well, intercepting it would require an anti-missile system.

Goodness, that's incredibly expensive. One shell is equivalent to blowing up a bank.

To put it bluntly, wars, throughout history, have always been about money. If you can't afford to fight, the war can't be sustained.

General Cheng didn't elaborate, only nodding: "Alright, I have a general idea. Um, do you have any information on the drones?"

Wang Xiao didn't hold back: "I should have some, I'll get them for you when I find them. But I don't think I have any American information, only Soviet information."

General Cheng nodded: "Soviet ones are fine too."

Wang Xiao said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "I think if any military factories want to transform their businesses, they could definitely make drones. The civilian market is vast, and you can really make money from them. With money, you can then continue to improve the technology."

Minister Cao agreed with this view and joked, "When you develop unmanned patrol aircraft, our Ministry of Power will definitely buy them. I'll also tell the Ministry of Forestry to buy them. This is much cheaper and easier than helicopter patrols."

How much fuel does a helicopter use for one flight?

General Cheng laughed heartily: "I was hoping that General Wang would do it, so we could use something ready-made."

Wang Xiao waved his hand: "It's like being in a completely different field. We don't have the energy or funds to do this right now. Let's wait for good news from the Air Force."

The waiter brought the dishes to the table, and General Cheng didn't leave; he joined them for a meal.

The bodyguards take turns guarding the mealtimes; it's become a routine for them.

Xiao Gao, a veteran, had a particularly strong curiosity about military matters. Seeing General Cheng put down his chopsticks, he cautiously asked, "What stage has the development of drones in the United States reached?"

Since this thing was invented by Americans, and American technology is so advanced, it must have developed exceptionally well.

Wang Xiao spat out the peppercorns in her mouth. She could accept peppercorns as a seasoning, but she absolutely could not chew them.

“The core products developed by the United States are for military use, with long flight times.” Wang Xiao thought for a moment and gave an analogy, “I’ve seen some information, and it feels more like a formal aircraft that doesn’t require a pilot. But, well, I don’t think this model is suitable for our country. Because it’s expensive; their military drones cost around ten million US dollars.”

Alright, then there's no need to say anything more.

With so much money to build them, the Air Force won't try to take shortcuts.

Xiao Gao was quite curious: "Then why doesn't the US develop the kind you mentioned, Mr. Wang? Small and with simple functions."

"The needs are different," Wang Xiao said with a smile. "Don't worry, even if they really develop this, they might not do it better than us."

Oh dear! That's a bit of an exaggeration.

Even Minister Cao and General Cheng disagreed.

They know their own situation best; they are well aware of just how developed the United States truly is.

"I'm not exaggerating. Every country has its own path to development. The United States, or rather, developed capitalist countries, are undergoing deindustrialization."

Wang Xiao explained, "Their goals are very clear: one is industrial upgrading, making money domestically through high-tech intellectual property rights; the other is avoiding environmental pollution, and so on."

"But the hollowing out of industry means that the entire industrial system is destroyed. They are unable to rely on their own industrial system to control costs and produce a product at a low price."

Wang Xiao, worried that they might not understand, gave an example: "For instance, if we want to produce a garment, we have our own textile factory that produces this fabric on a regular basis, but we usually use this fabric to make shoes. Now, if you want to make garments, OK, our production line can also do it. However, if they don't have this production line and have to build a special production line to make this fabric, its cost increases, which is reflected in the garments, making them expensive."

Minister Cao was taken aback: "So, according to you, we shouldn't be moving towards deindustrialization?"

This is one of the mainstream ideas nowadays, and is considered a hallmark of developed countries.

The reason it hasn't started yet is that China is currently taking over industries transferred from developed capitalist countries. China's agricultural population still accounts for the majority, and it is not yet a true industrial country.

“No, absolutely not.” Wang Xiao waved his hands repeatedly. “Scientific development may rely on scientists, but technological progress always depends on engineers and workers. Industrial modernization is the right thing to do; deindustrialization will cause problems. If we go all the way to the service industry, the service industry actually doesn’t need that many people.”

She had discovered before she traveled through time that if a place didn't have factories, there would be a big problem.

Conversely, the situation is much better if factories still exist.

Those who clamor that the withdrawal of foreign capital is a victory for us probably have never experienced how difficult it is to be unable to find a job.

Even Trump, whose campaign slogan was to bring manufacturing back to the United States.

It's quite fantastical.

Minister Cao said thoughtfully, "This is indeed worth considering."

In a sense, deindustrialization is a form of arrogance.

Those polluting, low-tech, and low-value-added industries have been moved to other countries, leaving them to be done by poorer people.

Does this mean that, in the minds of planners, people who are poor do not deserve to enjoy a comfortable working environment, and should risk environmental pollution and occupational diseases to do these jobs and earn this dangerous and hard-earned money?

No, that's not right. It goes against the spirit of communism.

Communism aims to improve the lives of everyone, with no distinction between high and low status in labor, and even less so among people.

Therefore, the purpose of industrial modernization is to enable workers to work with greater dignity and comfort, not to deindustrialize.

After the meal, Wang Xiao did not leave Beijing.

Her purpose in coming here was to secure the shipping routes to Africa.

The 28-inch suitcases carried by the black traders in Guangzhou represent countless hopes for the future.

Because of the investment in building LCD screens, Wang Xiao's main source of income came from the African routes.

Since she had come to Beijing, she naturally had to turn the leader's verbal promise into a fait accompli.

Wang Xiao was busy until July, and only after seeing the three planes arrive in person did he finally breathe a sigh of relief and return to Sakhalin Island.

A song drifted from a roadside shop: "There's a girl in the village named Xiaofang, beautiful and kind..."

Wang Xiao subconsciously pursed her lips.

She heard this song when she was a child and thought it was quite fun.

When she grew up and learned that the "I" in the song was a male educated youth and that Xiao Fang in the village was the lover "I" abandoned, she felt like rolling her eyes.

She remembered a TV series called "The Debt of Sin," which also told the story of educated youth abandoning their wives and children to return to the city.

Look, it's always the women in the village who get sacrificed.

Lyuba found the melody of the Chinese song quite interesting. Seeing her boss roll his eyes, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Boss, don't you like this song?"

After Wang Xiao finished explaining the background of the story, Lyuba also became indignant.

She knew what kind of gossip and judgment rural girls in China would face if they were abandoned by their lovers in those days.

She angrily accused her Chinese counterparts: "How could you go so far?"

The Chinese male bodyguard, trembling from an arrow wound to the knee, weakly tried to explain: "It's too hard. Everyone wants a better life. Just like the residents of your remote areas, who all want to return to Moscow and St. Petersburg if they have the chance."

Wang Xiao chuckled: "The most disgusting thing is that after betraying someone, they still pretend to reminisce and beautify themselves, acting as if they are so sentimental. Just like Zhou Puyuan in 'Thunderstorm,' how disgusting is that?"

Unlike her, who is openly and honestly a jerk and never pretends to be capable of loving others.

Yes, whenever she tries to reflect on her character, reality tells her not to underestimate herself, because her character is still quite good.

Indeed, it's all thanks to the contrast with its peers.

Wang Xiao boarded the plane. Destination: Tokyo.

Although Sakhalin Island certainly has a more pleasant climate in July than Tokyo, work in Tokyo is more important in July.

After a series of communications, a Japanese company finally agreed to allow the Chinese side to visit and expressed its willingness to discuss subsequent cooperation matters.

Did Wang Xiao have any further questions? He quickly boarded the plane and flew directly to Tokyo Narita Airport.

Ivanov, who came from Sakhalin Island and arrived in Tokyo earlier than her, waved frantically at her from afar, calling out, "Your Majesty! Here, here!"

Wu Haoyu stood half a step behind him, silent, holding the reception sign in his hand.

This inspection trip was official in nature, so it was perfectly normal for the embassy to be involved.

But Ivanov didn't intend to let Wang Xiao greet Wu Haoyu. Instead, he stretched out his arm at her from a distance and mumbled complaints to get her attention completely focused on him.

“Wang, you have no idea what trouble those damn Americans are in, they keep making demands.”

A residential area for oil workers is under construction on Sakhalin Island.

When Wang Xiao went to Beijing, construction had not yet officially started.

After she left, Douglas started causing all sorts of trouble.

Regarding the source of building materials, he hopes everything will be imported from the United States.

Ivanov, of course, couldn't simply pass on the idea, because it was too expensive to build, and the transportation costs were high and the time required was long.

It's just building materials, why can't Russia supply them? If that's not possible, the shortfall can be imported from China or even Japan. Hokkaido is so close to Sakhalin Island.

Douglas, unable to win the argument, then turned his attention to the workers' issue.

He looked down on Russia's construction standards and demanded that a full American team be assembled, using only American workers.

Without saying a word, Ivanov rejected it again.

Firstly, American workers are paid higher wages, and secondly, Americans are also unwilling to work overtime. Unfortunately, Sakhalin Island has a very short frost-free period and long winters, so they have to rush to meet deadlines.

In the end, both sides compromised: the architect was American, the key technical workers were American, and the remaining laborers were Chinese and Koreans from the island.

Well, because the Russians performed so poorly at the food processing base, Ivanov no longer wants to try to get them jobs. Mainly, he's afraid they won't be able to compete with the Chinese (which is almost a given), or even lose to the Americans—that would be a huge embarrassment.

Anyway, their initial promise was to provide certain jobs for local residents, and the North Koreans on the island hold Russian citizenship.

Hiring them to work is perfectly fine.

When Wang Xiao heard him complaining while also trying to take credit, she immediately gave him positive feedback, nodding and saying, "You've worked hard. Would you like some fruit?"

As she spoke, she took the bag from her assistant, grabbed a handful of lychees and gave them to him, saying, "They're newly available, have some."

With current limited cold chain logistics technology, tropical fruits like lychees are expensive even when grown outside their place of origin in China.

Ivanov, however, became coy: "Your Majesty, I don't know how to peel them, my hands are clumsy, can you peel them for me?"

Is Wang Xiao the kind of person who would spoil him?

If we weren't outside, she would have rolled her eyes at her and said, "If you can't peel it, just look at it and don't eat it!"

Considering it was an international airport, she gestured to her assistant: "Wipe your hands and peel the lychees for your dear boss."

Turning her head, she smiled at the embassy staff, "Would you like some lychees? They've just come into season."

Wu Haoyu gave her a deep look, then turned his head away without saying a word.

The curly-haired guy next to him probably sensed the awkwardness and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, thank you."

Wang Xiao doesn't stand on ceremony with people; if they don't want to eat, they don't have to, and it won't stop her from eating.

She calmly peeled off the dark red lychee shell, revealing the glistening white flesh, and began to eat it herself.

This put the curly-haired guy under a lot of pressure, and he subconsciously reminded him, "Um, Mr. Wang, this is an airport."

Wang Xiao nodded: "Ah, yes."

"Um, it's not really appropriate to eat here."

"It's alright." Wang Xiao continued eating her lychees. "Don't worry, if any juice drips on the ground, I'll wipe it clean."

She didn't rest for a minute on the plane, constantly looking at documents and making plans, and didn't even have time to eat the airplane meal. Now that she's hungry, of course she needs to replenish her energy.

That curly-haired guy is really an eyesore; he seems to be completely out of step with international etiquette.

However, as long as Wang Xiao doesn't bother others, no one has the right to tell her what to do.

There aren't that many so-called etiquette rules.

Fortunately, the next group of guests arrived quickly, and the embassy staff were busy picking them up, so they naturally didn't have time to deal with the eyesore anymore.

Wang Xiao quickly spat out the lychee shell from his mouth, wiped his hands with a wet wipe, and approached with a smile: "Secretary Fang."

Secretary Fang smiled and shook hands with her, saying, "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting."

"No, no, just a little while ago." Wang Xiao smiled and took her hand.

This is absolutely true, because there aren't many flights between China and Japan now, so they were actually on the same plane.

The reason they only met now is that Wang Xiao was willing to spend money and flew first class; while the Jiangdong Provincial Government, in order to save foreign exchange for the country, chose economy class even when its top leader personally went on a business trip abroad.

Secretary Fang did not feel wronged.

The flight from Shanghai to Tokyo takes only three hours, which is much more comfortable than taking the train.

After greeting Wang Xiao and Ivanov with a smile, she nodded to her son and thanked his colleagues.

We appreciate it if they could take time out of their busy schedules to come and receive them.

As is customary, everyone should first go to the Chinese Embassy in Japan, where there might even be a welcome reception. The ambassador and Secretary Fang would each give a brief speech of at least half an hour, followed by a welcome banquet, and then the formal inspection work would begin tomorrow.

But none of the speakers present were interested in going through the formalities; they were eager to get to work as soon as possible.

Why waste time traveling from China to Japan when there's no need to adjust to the time difference?

The embassy arranged a car, and Wu Haoyu accompanied everyone as they walked out, explaining the procedures along the way.

Accompanying them on their visit to the LCD screen factory was Zheng Gongcheng, a Chinese student invited by the embassy from the Japan Institute of Technology.

He is currently pursuing a doctorate in physics and previously studied at Sharp's research institute for a period of time, so he has a relatively good understanding of LCD screens.

Especially when it comes to certain technical terms, he can convey the meaning more accurately when acting as a translator.

Zheng Gongcheng's personal image perfectly fits the stereotypical template of a science and engineering PhD. He has a thin face, dresses simply, has thick eyes on his nose that are thicker than the bottom of a wine bottle, and is taciturn.

From the moment he boarded the bus, he didn't utter a single word unless asked, truly embodying the principle of being sparing with words.

Fortunately, he's just not talkative, but when it really matters, he'll step forward.

Upon arriving at the LCD panel manufacturing plant, Minister Yamashita, who was receiving them, repeatedly bowed to express his apologies upon seeing the large crowd.

Sorry, the workshop is a cleanroom and absolutely cannot accommodate so many visitors; a maximum of four people are allowed.

The problem is that Ivanov brought three former Soviet experts, and Secretary Fang also brought an expert from the Changchun Institute who had studied LCD panels in the 1980s.

Allowing only technical personnel in while excluding leaders and the boss won't solve any problems at all.

Zheng Gongcheng communicated with Minister Yamashita again and again, and finally managed to secure three more slots, which seemed to allow the boss and leaders to enter.

However, another problem arises: what about Zheng Gongcheng? Without his translation and technical explanation, everyone would have no idea what they were watching.

Just as Wang Xiao was about to put his silver tongue to good use, Ivanov gracefully gave the spot to Zheng Gongcheng: "Zheng, you go in, thank you for your trouble."

Turning his head to Wang Xiao, his charming eyes seemed to look at a dog with deep affection. "Wang, I trust every decision you make."

Wang Xiao didn't stand on ceremony with him and spoke frankly: "Actually, we're probably just here for the novelty."

It's like being in a completely different field. Besides knowing that chips and LCD screens are both important, she has no other relevant professional knowledge. What can she possibly understand?

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration. Actually, there's still a lot to see.

First of all, the Japanese emphasize that the workshop is a dust-free environment, not to make it seem mysterious, but because it is genuinely clean.

Everyone entering the workshop must wear a standard cleanroom suit and two layers of gloves to reduce external contamination.

Secondly, spraying is a common practice in the workshop.

Before each process, a machine automatically sprays cleaning agent and ultrapure water to clean the glass base of the LCD panel.

In addition, the workshop is highly automated, with hardly any workers in sight, and it is almost entirely operated by machines.

Because of the cleanroom suits, it wasn't very convenient to talk, so Zheng Gongcheng only gave a brief introduction to the production process.

But even with just a few words, they deeply moved the visitors.

Aside from Wang Xiao's innate ability to travel through time and having at least seen unmanned, dust-free workshops on TV and found them acceptable, even the experts from the former Soviet Union remained silent upon seeing them.

Not to mention Secretary Fang.

After everyone finished touring the workshop, took off their cleanroom suits, and went to the next showroom to continue their visit, she couldn't help but sigh, "This is Japan, after all."

What Chinese people consider a tiny place is actually so developed.

Wang Xiao reached out and took her arm, continuing to walk forward: "Otherwise, the United States wouldn't be so wary of it."

After the brief tour, the Japanese side invited the guests to sit down in the conference room for a discussion.

Perhaps because of the cleanroom earlier, Secretary Fang felt that the conference room in the Japanese factory was exceptionally clean.

No, to be more precise, it was that the entire country of Japan that she saw was clean and orderly.

She had previously traveled to Hong Kong and Taiwan for work.

It's the same capitalist world, but Hong Kong is chaotic, and the smell is awful in the summer.

In Taiwan, the streets are full of motorcycles that drive recklessly. Oh, they call them scooters. The exhaust fumes they spew out make the whole city smoky and smelly.

Compared to them, Japan is simply a better-evolved world.

Secretary Fang composed himself, reminding himself not to be led by the nose by the other party.

That's how people are. When they acknowledge that someone is strong, they are easily led astray by the mentality of admiring strength, thinking that the other person is right and good in every way.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they got straight to the point.

China's demand is to purchase a complete production line; the question is how to negotiate the price.

It turns out that the communication had gone well before, both via international fax and telephone, and the Japanese side hadn't given up outright; but today, when they arrived, the Japanese changed their minds again.

They didn't want to sell the production line; they wanted to form a joint venture to set up a factory in China, with the Japanese side providing the production technology.

Before Secretary Fang could express his opinion, Wang Xiao flatly refused: "No, our plan is to purchase the production line."

She's gone mad, partnering with the Japanese to make LCD panels?

There are stark examples right in front of us.

Color transistor technology, the color picture tubes now widely used in color TVs, were developed in 1987 when the Beijing Electron Tube Factory and the Japanese Panasonic Group established a joint venture. If you ask the Beijing Electron Tube Factory now, do they have mastered color picture tube technology?

The real money-making techniques are those that people want to make money in your Chinese market; only a fool would let you truly master them.

Do Chinese people wear their stupidity on their sleeves? Haven't they learned their lesson the hard way?

Her attitude was firm, and the Japanese side's attitude was also firm.

Joint ventures are the only form of cooperation they can accept.

Transferring the production line? No, that's absolutely impossible.

The initially pleasant conversation eventually devolved into a full exchange of opinions. In diplomatic jargon, it means the two sides couldn't reach an agreement, and neither was willing to back down.

Well, the sun had already set, and the guests, who were hoarse from all the noise, had no choice but to take their leave.

Let's go back to the embassy first.