Chapter 202 The Pearl of South America

Lin Ruoyan checked the original book's plot. A few years ago, after President Chad came to power in Bolivia, he implemented reforms that brought resources under state control. He also maintained a close relationship with China, attempting to break free from the economic control of Europe and the United States. During his tenure, relations with China remained friendly, with frequent visits between high-level leaders from both sides, and numerous economic and trade cooperation agreements signed. These agreements spanned various sectors, including infrastructure, housing, industry, and agriculture. Lin's related companies, as well as the company founded by Li Yiqi, also participated in these trade activities, generating substantial profits.

Since it was all written in the book, Lin Ruoyan decided to go to South America to see the opportunity herself. But before going, she had to make all kinds of preparations.

It is essential to bring bodyguards when traveling long distances, especially overseas. The public security in China is top-notch in the world, but the environment you face after going abroad, whether in developed or developing countries, is far worse than the public security in China. There are too many pirates and armed robbers who not only rob things but also kill people.

Then there's the visa application process: should you choose a regular visa application with a private passport or try to connect with large state-owned enterprises and gain higher-level access? This all requires careful planning. Overseas, it's easier for private companies to keep pace with large state-owned enterprises than to go it alone.

In the real world, Lin Ruoyan had worked on an overseas project, also in a country in South America similar to Bolivia. It was the shining pearl of South America, with rich reserves of various valuable minerals, including oil.

Once upon a time, it was the backyard of developed North American nations, and the local economy flourished. Its major port cities were beautifully built, and the climate was pleasant. However, the plundered resources left the country vulnerable, and only the compradors became wealthy. As ordinary local workers sought more fair and equal treatment, the country underwent reforms.

The book essentially follows this plot: after democratically elected President Chase takes power, he firmly controls the military and diligently governs the country, nationalizing energy, mining, and land. This certainly offends a large number of capitalist compradors, but after the initial pain, domestic livelihoods see significant improvements.

The president took the initiative to visit many countries to seek development assistance, and my country and many other countries also went there to invest and boost the local economy.

The book describes Bowa, where generations of people from Enzhou, Guangdong Province, had been doing business there long before close relations between the two countries developed. By the turn of the millennium, there were no fewer than 200,000 Enzhou people living there, all of whom held Chinese citizenship. In their youth, they journeyed overseas, worked diligently for a decade or more, and after earning their keep, they returned home to build homes and retire, a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

It is said that many people in Enzhou follow this routine in their entire village. After the children finish their nine years of compulsory education, they follow their parents or fellow villagers to Bolivia. Especially after the country entered a period of stable development, it became very friendly to our country. It is also easy to apply for a business visa with a private passport. The country's overall economic level is good, so many people go there to "pan for gold."

So apart from the official locals who speak x language, most of the people who look like Chinese or overseas Chinese speak Enzhou dialect or Cantonese, and few speak Mandarin.

Lin Ruoyan invested in a furniture factory in Guangdong Province. Through Hu Quan, she also met Mr. Liu Deli, who had a business in Bolivian Country. They met in China and agreed to meet again in the capital of Bolivian Country in the future.

Boss Liu first opened a restaurant in Bolivia, but later found that the local agriculture was too backward. Meat products were imported from Argentina in the south, and the variety of vegetables was pitifully small. Basically, they had plants from the dark cuisine style of Europe during the colonial period. The types of side dishes that could be used could be counted on one hand. The gap between the local agriculture and the extensive and profound catering industry in China was at least more than a thousand years, if not two thousand years.

To create authentic Chinese cuisine, one couldn't rely on domestic shipping. Air freight was too expensive, and shipping by sea took at most 40 to 50 days, by which time the vegetables would have already wilted. Consequently, Mr. Liu was forced to invest in a farm and hired domestic farmers to grow vegetables locally, initially solely for his restaurant. Unexpectedly, the local soil was incredibly fertile, allowing any vegetable to thrive, and grow exceptionally quickly and effectively.

Located near the equator, the climate here is humid, but the temperature is not as scorching as you might imagine, instead hovering around 20 degrees Celsius year-round. Rain falls regularly during the rainy season, and the dry season is not overly dry. The area is rich in mountains, forests, and water, so practically any seed you throw in will grow.

Besides infrastructure, the Chinese people's greatest strength is farming. While infrastructure is handled by state-owned enterprises, farming is like an innate talent. Even those who couldn't grow anything in China can, given a pot, grow vegetables abroad.

The various fresh vegetables that the locals have never seen before, combined with the exquisite dishes in the restaurant, not only conquered the local Enzhou people, but also made foreigners who have never seen real food addicted.

Mr. Liu now runs several restaurants, with franchises in all the major cities of Bolivia. The same is true for his farm, which is growing larger and larger. He not only supplies ingredients to his own restaurants, but also to several of Bolivia's top food giants and supermarkets, and even sells to neighboring countries. After all, the number of expatriates in neighboring countries is gradually increasing, and there is definitely a demand for food.

This fully demonstrates that even before the country's grand strategy of going global began, many people were already traveling overseas in droves to seek development. The grand strategy has a solid foundation of public support, and content designed on this basis is easier to implement.

After meeting with Boss Liu, Lin Ruoyan learned that a large state-owned enterprise was planning to build a large farm in Province B of Bolivia, the hometown of current President Chase. In addition to the scientific farming project, there would also be supporting water conservancy projects and new township housing plans.

The scattered locals were gathered in new towns, where they could work on large farms, provide centralized education, and develop industries like food processing. Housing was allocated free of charge, with the state paying for it.

In the past, people lived in villages and houses, making transportation inconvenient and living conditions far inferior to those in big cities. This wasn't due to the low quality of local construction. The climate was truly favorable, with mild winters and mild summers. People didn't need blankets year-round, spending the entire year lying under trees, often hit by fallen, ready-to-eat food. Consequently, there was little demand for housing.

Moreover, there has not been an earthquake in their country for nearly a hundred years. They can just pick up some iron sheets and plastic sheets to build a shed to shelter from the wind and rain. It has been passed down for generations, so people have become complacent and have no motivation to work hard.

Originally, developed countries came here solely for tourism and vacations in the coastal cities, caring little for the lives of the impoverished inland residents and naturally wouldn't spend money on building roads and houses. Now, China is helping them develop the inland provinces' economies, building farms, housing facilities, and proper schools and hospitals. Naturally, the locals welcome this.

While it's called a new township, it's actually similar to the new city of XX in Hebei Province. From scratch, within a year or two, not only must houses be built but also fully inhabited. Construction must be fast and high-quality, and planning must integrate future industrial development.

Lin Ruoyan grew happier as she listened. Wasn't this exactly the kind of project she could get involved in? She was familiar with the routines of developing new cities. Large state-owned enterprises were involved in road infrastructure, agriculture, and industry. Could she subcontract and build some ordinary residential buildings?

The common perception is that the locals are so poor that they can't directly pay for these engineering services. However, the locals are rich in oil and minerals that are scarce in China. With these resources available, China can invest there and exchange various technical services for resources.