“Mr. Xu, if you have more contact with the mainland, you will find that the mainland is not as poor and destitute as reported in the news, nor is it as unambitious as reported in the news.”
Chen Dong organized his thoughts and continued, "To be honest, we are all Chinese, and our bloodline can never be changed. Moreover, I grew up in the mainland, and I may not have done well enough in some aspects, but as the country's strength increases, people's lives are getting better and better."
“Mr. Chen, that’s not what I meant.” Xu Shixun sighed and said, “I’m not denying that I’m Chinese, and that’s what I’ve told my family. It’s just that people are a bit unsettled lately. A few days ago, I received an invitation from the Queen.”
Actually, some things don't need to be said too explicitly; both people understand what the other is saying.
Chen Dong nodded and said with a smile, "Can I consider this a little trick played by the Queen? You're such a grown man, and you can't even see through something as simple as this."
Xu Shixun smiled somewhat awkwardly, picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and then said, "Chen Sheng, Brother Chen, give me a frank answer. Compared to those uncertain policies, I trust you more."
Chen Dong found it somewhat amusing; the shipping magnate seemed a bit childish at that moment.
"Mr. Xu, thank you for your trust."
"I think that no matter how much others say, it's not as effective as you going there yourself to see for yourself. The development of the mainland is changing rapidly, every day. If I had to describe it, it's more like a newborn baby."
"The population and land area of the mainland also determine that it is an important market that cannot be ignored. Don't be fooled by Hong Kong's current geographical advantages. Before long, when the giant dragon of the East wakes up, these geographical advantages will no longer exist."
Chen Dong intentionally offered some guidance to shipping magnate Xu Shixun, and he talked quite a bit, analyzing things from the details rather than immediately and arbitrarily expressing his own views.
"I admit that the mainland has an advantage in terms of population and area compared to a place as small as Hong Kong. However, the mainland's economy is still very backward. To be honest, doing ten business deals with the mainland may not earn as much as doing one business deal with overseas."
Chen Dong did not deny what the shipping magnate said. Many companies in mainland China are still processing low-end products. It's like comparing two ships: is it more valuable to load a ship with electronic products or a ship with textiles?
The answer is obvious: a ship full of electronic products would be of higher value.
For items of the same size, the value can vary, resulting in vastly different shipping costs.
Chen Dong nodded and said, "Xu Sheng, you've overlooked one point."
"Please enlighten me, Mr. Chen." Xu Shixun was more like a student eager for knowledge, seizing every opportunity to ask Chen Dong about everything he knew. In his view, Chen Dong was so young yet already possessed such considerable wealth, far surpassing his own; his intelligence, talent, and vision were certainly beyond his own reach.
"Although the mainland's economy is still quite underdeveloped, it also indicates a surplus of labor. In other words, the labor costs are incomparable to those of developed countries. Now that the global economy is integrated, competition will become increasingly fierce. How to effectively reduce corporate costs has become the primary factor that every company must consider."
Xu Shixun nodded. Chen Dong was absolutely right. Take his current shipbuilding company for example. Compared with a few years ago, the increase in labor costs has become an urgent problem that needs to be solved to address the increase in costs for the shipbuilding company.
What I feel most acutely is that, while operating the same route, the money earned might only be two-thirds of what it used to be, or even less. You can choose not to accept this price, but as long as you don't, someone else will snatch the order in no time.
"In recent years, I believe that more and more factories will relocate to lower-cost development areas due to rising costs. This is a necessary development trend for the country."
"The mainland needs foreign capital to drive economic growth, while overseas companies need the mainland's low labor costs. It's fair to say that the two sides are a perfect match. In just a few years, the mainland's economy will improve under this demand, and it's only a matter of time before some important ports surpass Hong Kong."
At this point, Chen Dong looked at the shipping magnate with a smile and said, "Mr. Xu, I think we should take advantage of the present and increase our investment in the mainland. In just a few years, we will see several times, even ten times, growth."
Chen Dong's words, though seemingly spoken in a joking tone, were actually the truth.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen. I will seriously consider what you said today and get back to you in a few days," Xu Shixun said earnestly.
"Mr. Xu, you're joking. I don't represent certain people or others in mainland China. I genuinely believe in the mainland market, otherwise I wouldn't have put so much effort into placing all my businesses there."
These words were like a beacon, instantly illuminating Xu Shixun's heart.
Yes, if a prodigy like Chen Dong can put all his businesses in the mainland, what's wrong with me having a little bit of assets?
Xu Shixun revealed a relieved smile. From this moment on, he felt that the huge weight in his heart had truly been lifted.
...
Several months have passed in the blink of an eye.
In just a few months, Chen Dong received several pieces of good news. The Amazon portal was launched in North America. Unlike Bezos, Chen Dong positioned Amazon as an e-commerce platform from the beginning.
In addition to books in its physical stores, Amazon also sells snacks, electronics, and other items. Overall, Amazon's marketplace has already reached a considerable scale, offering no fewer than a thousand different products.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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