Chapter 486 You should be the general manager; or you can be a consultant.

Wang Xiao's curiosity was truly piqued, and she pressed Tang Yicheng for an answer: "How exactly did you manage to win him over? Isn't he currently running the World University in Taiwan? What went wrong that made him quit?"

Tang Yicheng was completely bewildered: "Who said he's quitting? He's doing just fine. World University is doing really well right now. If it weren't, why would I want to cooperate with him?"

Wang Xiao's eyes were practically widening: "I'm asking why he's looking for you?"

Okay, okay, in this era, semiconductors were a nascent industry for China. In January 1999, Zhang Rujing had not yet truly made a name for himself in the mainland semiconductor industry.

Therefore, Tang Yicheng could not regard the other party as a true god. He was more worried that the boss would doubt the other party's ability and be unwilling to pay.

Listening to Wang Xiao's words now, he still understood the unspoken meaning: if the other party is so capable, why would they approach you? You used to be involved in real estate investment in Hong Kong, which has nothing to do with semiconductors.

Tang Yicheng immediately emphasized: "Because I persuaded him. We reached a consensus that we should set up a factory in Hong Kong. It's more convenient for him to do business in Hong Kong than in mainland China."

He explained, "In February of last year, he and Chen Zhengyu, who founded Moss and Moss, registered Shanghua Semiconductor Company in Hong Kong and obtained a management contract from Huajing in Wuxi."

Speaking of Wuxi Huajing, it's a relic of a bygone era.

Before Project 909, the official major project in China's semiconductor industry was called Project 908.

The project was initiated in August 1990, with the main enterprise being Huajing Electronics Group Co., Ltd., which was formed by the merger of Wuxi Factory 742 and Wuxi Branch of Institute 24.

From its inception, it has had a troubled history.

It was built and put into production in 1997, with a process of 0.8-1 micrometers, but the international mainstream at that time was already 0.18 micrometers. In 1998, the chip lost 240 million yuan as soon as it was launched.

Huahong NEC, the main company behind Project 909, is about to start trial production of its 64M memory chip, while Project 908 has not yet been accepted.

This gives a glimpse into just how brutal the semiconductor industry can be.

Wang Xiao listened as Tang Yicheng continued, "Their plan at the time was to have Zhang Rujing concurrently serve as the general manager of both Shih-Da and Hua-Ching companies. Neither of the two companies had any objections, but the Taiwanese authorities did, and he was forcibly pulled back after less than three months."

Tang Yicheng laughed as he said this, "Isn't that the problem? I told him that given the current tense relationship between the mainland and Taiwan, if he wants to set up a factory on the mainland, Taiwan will definitely try every means to stop him. Grandpa, it's fine if you go empty-handed, and you can move your family to the mainland without any worries. But what about the people who come with you? Those engineers whose families are in Taiwan will be in an awkward position, with all sorts of concerns."

"Why not come to Hong Kong? Hong Kong is a well-known free port with extensive economic and trade ties with Taiwan. Even if the Taiwanese authorities are unhappy, they have to swallow their pride. Washington certainly doesn't treat Hong Kong as sensitively as it does the mainland."

"Furthermore, people raised under different systems have different ways of thinking. Engineers from Taiwan and other countries may not be able to adapt to life on the mainland, or they may have too many prejudices. If they are asked to work on the mainland, they will have their own ideas."

“When we run a business, we’re there to get things done, not to do ideological work. If people have concerns, we can just move the business to a different location so they don’t have so many psychological burdens. Hong Kong is definitely more suitable.”

Wow! Indeed, after just three days, one should look at things in a completely different light.

Wang Xiao looked Tang Yicheng up and down, then gave him a thumbs up and praised him: "As expected of our CEO Tang, you really know how to speak."

Tang Yicheng's ears turned red from her praise, and he coughed twice unconsciously: "I may not understand the technology, but I must understand the policies. The US attitude is so rigid. Project 909 is such a good project, a huge piece of meat, but they won't let American semiconductor companies touch it."

Wang Xiao nodded with a smile, then sighed, "Just wait and see, there will be plenty of trouble later."

The history of China's semiconductor development is a history of struggle between blockade and counter-blockade.

“It’s all the same.” Tang Yicheng didn’t delve into the technical aspects; he considered the issue entirely from a businessman’s perspective. “If the United States didn’t stop us, with our country’s human, material, and market resources, we could easily monopolize the entire industry if we put our efforts into it. If it were the other way around, we wouldn’t be able to tolerate it either.”

Wang Xiao laughed heartily and nodded seriously: "So we should thank our opponents for their recognition."

As they were talking, the group left the airport and headed towards the parking lot.

When they arrived at the door, they encountered a group of women who were about the same age as Ms. Chen Yanqiu.

This group of middle-aged women, with permed hair and makeup, dressed in brightly colored clothes, each holding a silk scarf that fluttered in the wind, stood next to the airport sign and took photos.

Passengers passing by would occasionally turn their heads and cast strange glances at them.

Without a doubt, judging from their attire, they are all from mainland China.

Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao were completely speechless. They turned to Tang Yicheng and said, "Hey, Brother Tang, I just don't understand. What's so attractive about carrying that big silk scarf?"

Yes, scarves can definitely be used to dress up.

Their boss has used silk scarves as hats, belts, and even tied them to bags; they look incredibly fashionable no matter how you look at it.

But you can't just hold a silk scarf and twist your body like that, letting it flutter in the wind; it looks ridiculous no matter how you look at it.

Tang Yicheng said, "I don't know either. Men should refrain from interfering in women's affairs."

He never believed that women dressed up for men.

Take eyebrow tattooing for example. His eyebrows looked like caterpillars. Not only did he not think they looked good, but none of the men he met thought they looked good either.

But will this delay the caterpillars crawling all over the brow bones of the streets and alleys?

The women there won't even give you the time of day. They'll just glare at you and say, "What do you know? That's called being fashionable!"

Wang Xiao laughed out loud: "It looks good, how can it not look good! Women dress up for those who appreciate them, and 'appreciating oneself' means pleasing oneself. It doesn't matter whether others think it looks good or not, as long as I think it looks good, that's enough."

When Ms. Chen Yanqiu was young, resources were extremely scarce, and everything required ration coupons. Even just making a sweater for herself and her family required dyeing countless pairs of work gloves. Clothes on the streets were either gray, blue, or green; where would you find such vibrant colors?

A beautiful silk scarf is their luxury.

When people have the ability to own something, why shouldn't they be allowed to enjoy it?

Besides, each generation has its own style of scarf.

Before Wang Xiao transmigrated, Warring States period robes and the like were all the rage. Her social media feed was full of young women, both young and old, wearing ethereal Warring States period robes, their ribbons fluttering in the wind.

Essentially, there's not much difference between Warring States period robes and silk scarves.

Even mass-produced photos can still be shared happily by everyone.

I'm not disturbing anyone's life, so why should I care how happy I am?

Tang Yicheng also gave a thumbs up with great seriousness: "Wow! Listen to this, no wonder he's our boss, what an open-minded attitude."

Wang Xiao nodded and accepted with a smile: "That's right, we must be open-minded. So, which direction should we go?"

"This way, this way." Tang Yicheng led the person into the car and personally drove.

Wang Xiao asked him, "Have you made an appointment with Mr. Zhang Rujing? When can we meet? I'm willing to fly to Taiwan."

Although cross-strait relations are tense, it's not so exaggerated that she would be detained if she went to Taiwan.

Tang Yicheng laughed: "Boss, you don't need to be so approachable. You're a big boss. Don't worry, I've already discussed it with him, and he'll come over."

Brother Tang laughed and shook his head. "Boss, you're the one who's paying, so you have the most leverage. Actually, this Mr. Zhang has looked for places in mainland China to start businesses. But he doesn't have much money. Setting up a chip factory requires a billion US dollars to invest. So some places think he's a swindler."

Wang Xiao chuckled upon hearing this: "Hey, Mr. Tang, why didn't you think he was a fraud?"

"I went to the World University for research."

Tang Yicheng has encountered countless swindlers in Hong Kong, so he is very vigilant and won't act until he sees a clear benefit.

“Besides,” he chuckled, gripping the steering wheel, “scammers aren’t as stingy as him. Last summer, a group of experts went to Shanghai to offer advice on chip development. Everyone else paid an extra ten Hong Kong dollars for a room with a view of the Huangpu River. Although the Huangpu River is a murky yellow and not much to see, isn’t it famous? The waves surge and flow, the river never rests…”

Wang Xiao quickly called for a stop: "Alright, Mr. Tang, please stop singing. People sing for money, but you're singing for your life."

Tang Yicheng laughed heartily: "Anyway, the Huangpu River is so famous, yet he still refuses to spend an extra ten Hong Kong dollars. He's known for his frugality, so having him build the factory is the most suitable option; at least he won't waste money."

Working in semiconductors is incredibly expensive. If you don't find someone who knows how to manage a household, even a billionaire like you will be burned alive.

The reason why Micron is the only survivor in the American semiconductor industry is because Micron is best at saving money and can endure hardship.

On her first day in Hong Kong, Wang Xiao wandered around everywhere, shopping in malls, strolling through Ladies' Market, and even going to Victoria Harbour in the evening.

It's a pity that Hong Kong doesn't have a Disneyland now, otherwise she would definitely be able to visit it again.

Tang Yicheng was truly impressed by the physical strength of the female comrades.

Sometimes they seem to be out of breath after walking just a few steps, and eight out of ten of them look like they have insufficient blood and energy. But once they start shopping, they are more capable than a thousand troops marching at full speed.

Wang Xiao said with an air of seriousness, "That's the charm of passion. Hey, take that one for me."

She still had to write a letter to Ivan when she got home that night, and then send a gift with the letter, otherwise he would start grumbling—see, you don't love me as much as you used to.

This made Wang Xiao doubt, "Does she even know what love is like?"

After a day of partying and a nap, she didn't get up until almost noon the next day.

Instead of having lunch at the hotel, Tang Yicheng arranged for them to eat at a local time-honored restaurant.

The shop isn't large, but in Hong Kong where land is incredibly expensive, it's not small either; it has at least two floors and private rooms.

The "old man" was just Tang Yicheng's joking remark. Zhang Rujing is actually only 50 years old this year. He has jet-black hair, no gray hair at his temples, a ruddy complexion, and bright, piercing eyes. He looks like a young man full of energy.

Hong Kong has a warm climate, and it's not cold in early January, so when he entered the private room, he took off his overcoat, revealing a wool suit underneath.

Tang Yicheng acted as the middleman, arranging for both sides to sit down. After a few pleasantries and the dishes being served, everyone stopped wasting time and got straight to the point.

What were we discussing? We were discussing investments in setting up factories in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong does have certain advantages in equipment imports, but its disadvantages are equally obvious: high land and labor costs, a lack of complete industrial chain support, and a lack of a large local market to support it.

Wuzhou can directly invest in the company by providing land, and they can also invest an additional 300 million US dollars.

These were all things that Tang Yicheng and Zhang Rujing had discussed before, so Wang Xiao didn't haggle much.

Because her sword dance was a ploy to harm Liu Bang. She valued people.

"Mr. Zhang, actually, I have another request for you. I hope you can also serve as the general manager of our semiconductor company."

Zhang Rujing replied without hesitation: "No problem, I'll coordinate the timing."

This is also one of the advantages of setting up a factory in Hong Kong; the Taiwanese authorities probably won't forcibly drag him back.

Wang Xiao smiled and shook his head: "No, I'm not talking about the factories in Hong Kong, but the factories in mainland China. Our group has a chip factory in Xiaozhou, Jiangbei Province, and an LCD panel factory in Jinning, Jiangdong Province. Last year, we acquired LG Electronics' chip business and Hyundai Electronics' LCD panel business."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Rujing's face showed only admiration.

He knew more or less about these things.

In particular, the acquisitions of LG Electronics and Hyundai Electronics can be considered a major move in the Asian semiconductor industry.

If South Korea hadn't experienced a severe financial crisis, which plunged all the major conglomerates into trouble, and if the government hadn't been eager to demonstrate its commitment to reform to the IMF and take the opportunity to reprimand the large conglomerates, these two acquisitions would have been highly unlikely, given the South Korean character.

However, what truly surprised Zhang Rujing was another business that the female boss mentioned: "Besides that, last year the US stock market crashed badly, and we acquired an EDA company. It wasn't a big company, just a second-tier one."

She gave her name.

It's not a world-renowned company, but it's not unknown in the industry either. At least it has a lot of patents. It's just that the boss is talented in technology, but he's not good at business management.

This is the downside of not choosing a good partner.

Zhang Rujing sighed and exclaimed, "Your group is truly generous."

He had heard Tang Yicheng hint that their boss was a legitimate Russian oligarch who owned several oil and gas fields and was not short of money.

That's exactly right.

The acquisition of these few companies alone would cost at least ten figures in US dollars.

Wang Xiao sighed, "So now the trouble has begun. When we bought them, we felt like we were getting a bargain. But how do we integrate so many resources? It's a real test of our abilities."

Logically speaking, the acquisition she finalized in South Korea last January should have resulted in the acquisition of EDA by summer. Given this timeframe, the integration should have been nearly complete, right?

Bah! She might want to, but does she have the luck to do so? No!

Her original plan before leaving Moscow was to first visit Hong Kong to see Tang Yicheng's Silicon Harbour project, and then return home, where she was troubled by how to coordinate and integrate resources.

The LCD screen manufacturers are doing alright. South Korea's LCD screen industry originally inherited from Japan, and with Ishizawa's coordination, the integration between the two sides is quite good.

Chip manufacturers are in trouble; everything is going wrong.

Wang Xiao was mentally prepared that she would have to stay in Xiaozhou for a long time to work on this.

But things are different now. Talented people are readily available, so of course she has to make full use of them.

“Mr. Zhang, I hope you can take on the role of general manager to integrate these resources and maximize their value.”

Zhang Rujing was immediately smitten.

It would be hard for any top manager in the semiconductor industry to resist such a temptation.

Because it is a unique opportunity, one that only I can seize.

We used American EDA tools for design and process simulation, and absorbed LG's mature logic chip process from South Korea as a foundation for implementation and optimization in the new factory.

He can combine the best of different technologies, which is exactly what he excels at.

This is more challenging than simply building a chip factory.

This challenging and mission-driven new platform is also highly attractive to top engineers who are unwilling to be cogs in the machine of giant companies, which helps in attracting talent.

Such a semiconductor company is also more in line with his original intention of building a factory in mainland China—to fill a gap and innovate the business model.

But Zhang Rujing still shook his head: "Thank you for your kind consideration, but I have limited energy and cannot do so many things at the same time."

He had to personally oversee these tasks; otherwise, he would never be able to put his mind at ease.

Wang Xiao then offered a compromise: "If you are truly unable to serve as general manager, could you serve as an advisor? Sir, as you know, the semiconductor industry is evolving at an incredibly rapid pace. I'm afraid that if we can't integrate quickly, the technology from the companies we've worked so hard to acquire will soon become obsolete. As you know, the semiconductor industry in mainland China is heavily embargoed. We've gone through many roundabout ways, endured countless hardships, and spent a lot of money to acquire these technologies, which are not even their first choice."

Having worked in the semiconductor industry for many years, he was well aware of the difficulties involved, and Zhang Rujing finally relented: "So what are your company's ideas for chip development?"

“We’re targeting a niche market.” Wang Xiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although sometimes she had to bite the bullet and pretend to be an expert, learning as she went.

But if she could have professionals help her with the work, why would she make things so difficult for herself?

She explained, “We have been collaborating with the Russian Institute of Microelectronics, and we have unique technological advantages in radiation-resistant, high- and low-temperature resistant, high-reliability analog chips, MEMS sensors, and military-grade semiconductors. Therefore, we plan to cultivate this market deeply, such as providing high-reliability power semiconductors and sensors for industrial equipment and automobiles in harsh environments, as well as core chips for medical, energy, and other fields, and radiation-resistant chips for civilian satellites and other aerospace tools. From the laboratory to stable large-scale commercial production, we need someone like you to helm the overall situation and build the production line.”

Zhang Rujing pondered for a moment, then asked again, "You only plan to target a niche market?"

“Yes.” Wang Xiao nodded. “This is our ten-year plan. Now that industry giants have already emerged, we absolutely cannot compete with companies like Micron, Samsung, and TSMC. We don’t pursue blue ocean markets; we only focus on niche markets. This way, we can quietly make a fortune. On the one hand, we can accumulate strength and cultivate talent without attracting attention; on the other hand, we can avoid head-on confrontations with the semiconductor giants, so that the Washington government doesn’t think that our achievements threaten the interests of the American semiconductor industry and deliberately cause us trouble.”

Zhang Rujing laughed. He was born and raised in Taiwan, holds American citizenship, but has the heart of a Chinese.

Wang Xiao looked at the other party with anticipation: "Mr. Zhang, would you be willing to take the helm? I hope you can lead the company to make great strides in the field of special chips and become an invisible champion."

The soup on the table smelled delicious. After drinking half a bowl of soup, Zhang Rujing finally did not refuse outright, but said, "I would like to go and investigate further."

In Wang Xiao's eyes, anything that doesn't firmly refuse is considered an agreement.

Wang Xiao laughed: "Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome. And I'm very sure you'll really like it. It's tenacious, full of vitality, and has a very enterprising spirit."

She gave an example: "Previously, our technological level was limited and our market competitiveness was not strong, but our chip factories and LCD screen factories were able to support themselves."

These words piqued Zhang Rujing's curiosity.

He joined World University as an OEM manufacturer and attracted many orders by leveraging his network, but it will take him three years to stop losing money.

How does this company, which seems to be homegrown and, thank God, Russia, do in the commercial chip industry, even worse than the Soviet Union, manage to make a profit?

"Because we manufacture our own chips and LCD panels, the two factories joined forces to produce pagers. Although mobile phones are the mainstream in the world now, pagers still have a considerable market in mainland China. They rely on pagers, using our wholesale and electronics markets to ship their products abroad and make money to support their factories."

Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Let's survive first. It doesn't matter if it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat. Let's survive first and then talk about other things."

Zhang Rujing was amused by her words and nodded in agreement: "Yes, only by surviving can we develop."

Everyone ate and talked, and the meal was a truly enjoyable one for both host and guests.

In the end, everyone finished their food completely; the only thing missing was dipping their steamed buns in the soup to wash the plates.

Zhang Rujing quickly emphasized, "I'm full and satisfied, please don't order any more dishes for me."

This is a Chinese custom: when hosting a dinner party, whether in mainland China or Taiwan, it seems that if the food is all eaten, it's considered a complaint that the host ordered too little.

Wang Xiao smiled and said, "The empty plates are the greatest recognition the guests can give to the hosts. It fully demonstrates that the hosts have good taste, chose a good restaurant, and ordered good dishes that perfectly suited the guests' tastes."

Zhang Rujing smiled and shook hands with her: "I also believe, Mr. Wang, that you are a good host."

Everyone wiped their mouths clean and walked out of the private room.

As luck would have it, they ran into the group of women in silk scarves leaving after finishing their meal when they went downstairs.

Perhaps because they were in a hurry to get to the next attraction, they didn't seem to eat much, and there was still quite a bit of food left on the table.

As the waiter cleared the tables, he spoke something in Cantonese, which made Tang Yicheng immediately frown.

Wang Xiao asked curiously in a low voice, "What did you say?"

She doesn't understand Cantonese and doesn't want to learn it. She's afraid that if she learns Cantonese, she won't feel the same way when listening to Cantonese songs.

Tang Yicheng replied in a low voice, "They said they've started shaking up. In the past, mainlanders would eat the bread crusts that Hong Kongers didn't want."

He also felt that these mainland tourists were being wasteful; why weren't they eating so much?

Moreover, he was highly suspicious of their identities. Many of those who can now travel to Hong Kong are government employees who use the guise of training to bring people here for tourism as a company benefit.

Consider how many businesses have closed, how many workers have been laid off, and how many migrant workers are unable to find jobs in mainland China; compared to this kind of publicly funded tourism, it really makes one feel uncomfortable.

But so-called contradictions among the people are contradictions among the people. He was even more unhappy that mainlanders were looked down upon by Hong Kong people.

Wang Xiao simply said "Oh" and didn't say anything else.

Why would central leaders specifically advocate for the "Clean Plate Campaign" decades later? Simply put, it's because food waste is simply too serious.

But they hadn't gone two steps when a reporter came over with a microphone, wanting to ask them for their opinion on the wasteful behavior of mainland tourists at the restaurant.

If the mainland is so wealthy, then why did it need donations from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the world when it was flooded last year?

It's interesting, I don't know how the reporter made that judgment. Maybe it was because there was a striking white beauty like Lyuba in their group, so the Hong Kong reporter asked the question in English.

Zhang Rujing was stunned and didn't really want to answer such a strange question.

Wang Xiao took the microphone and said clearly, "I feel that this restaurant must have no worries. I originally thought that when catering professionals encounter customers who order a table full of dishes but end up eating very little, they would be very anxious, worried that their chefs' skills are not good enough, or that their ingredients are not fresh or authentic enough, so that the customers can't find many dishes edible."

She smiled and said, "But it seems that the restaurants are not anxious, because they don't seem to reflect on themselves, and they don't care why their dishes don't suit the customers' tastes."

She smiled and nodded, handing the microphone back to the reporter.

Then he turned and left.

As they left the restaurant, Zhang Rujing complimented Wang Xiao, saying, "Your Mandarin is excellent, just like a news anchor."

What he really meant was that young people who can become bosses are indeed formidable individuals who would never suffer a loss.

Wang Xiao smiled and said, "I look forward to seeing you again in Xiaozhou, and I hope it will be soon. I also look forward to you coming here to be the general manager in the future."

She believed that time wouldn't be too far off.

Because World Wide Semiconductor is the third largest semiconductor foundry in Taiwan.

Throughout history, the eldest and second eldest sons have inevitably fought to the death.

If they were to fight, the third one would usually be the first to die.

The world is in grave danger.

————————!!————————

[Winking] Good morning!

Historically, Zhang Rujing did consider setting up a factory in Hong Kong in 1999, but later decided to set up a factory in Shanghai because of Jiang Shangzhou's recruitment.